Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MD 2, by George Colman, ynger]: With new Musick, Scenery, Machinery, Dresses and Decorations. The Musick entirely new, composed by Kelly with an overture by Dussek]. The Scenes designed and executed by Greenwood? Jun, with the assistance of Chalmers and Banks. The Machinery, Decorations and Dresses designed and under the direction of Johnston, and executed by him, Underwood and Gay. The Female Dresses designed and executed by Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. "We have to congratulate the town on the acquisition of three admirable dramatic writers, in the persons of Johnston, Greenwood, and Miss Rein, who have here exhibited a specimen of the Sublime and Beautiful which it will be difficult, indedd, to surpass" (Monthly Mirror, Jan. 1799, p. 47). [This piece is "an exhibition of music and dialogue, pantomime and dancing, painting and machinery, antique dresses and armour, thunder and lightning, fire and water, illumination, processions, banquets, battles, sieges, explosions, and everything that can surprize, enchant or terrify the spectators" (Morning Chronicle, 21 Jan.). Morning Chronicle, 16 Feb. 1799: This Day is published Feudal Times (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #483 15s. 6d. (381.10.6; 100.6.6; 1.18.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. 2nd piece [1st time; MF 2, by Prince Hoare, Larpent MS 1289; not published; synopsis of plot in Morning Herald, 29 Apr, Author of Prologue unknown]: The new Musick composed by Kelly. Morning Chronicle, 16 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 65, Gower-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #360 8s. 6d. (272.17.6; 80.9.6; 7.1.6; tickets: none listed) (charge: #213 3s. 7d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for R. Palmer, Russell & Dowton. 1st piece [1st time; B 1, by Edward Henry Iliff. The title-page has "by Edmund Spenser, Ynger." On his copy, now in Huntington Library, J. P. Kemble has written, "Iliffe [sic] is the real Name of the Authour"; he has made a similar notation on the playbill]: Founded on the 17th Number of The Spectator. 3rd piece [1st time; MF 1. Larpent MS 1219; not published. The characters are all taken from previous plays by John O'Keeffe, as follows: Sadboy (The Young Quaker); Signor Arionelli and Bowkitt (The Son-in-Law); Motley (The Dead Alive); Tully (The London Hermit); Lingo and Cowslip (The Agreeable Surprise); Ephraim Smooth (Wild Oats); Nipperkin (Sprigs of Laurel); Jemmy Jumps and Betty Blackberry (The Farmer); Mrs Casey (Fontainbleau)]: Written by Mr O'Keeffe. Times, 4 June: Tickets to be had of R. Palmer, No. 2, Queen's-row, Pimlico; of Russell, No. 19, Martlet-court, Bow-street; of Dowton, No. 5, Strand-lane, Surry-street, Strand. Receipts: #413 11s. 6d. (76.17.6; 37.7.0; 1.0.0 tickets: 298.7.0) (charge: #215 10s. 5d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer's Orphan Family [see dl, 18 June 1798]. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 27 Nov.]. Boxes 6s. Second Price 3s. Pit 3s. 6d. Second Price 2s. Gallery 2s. Second Price 1s. Upper Gallery 1s. Second Price 6d. No Money to be returned. Tickets may be had at Lloyd's Coffee House [for this night only]; and of Fosbrook, at the Box Office, Little Russel Street, where, only, Places for the Boxes can be taken. The Public are respectfully informed that Mr Aickin is appointed Manager. Printed by C. Lowndes next the Stage-Door. Receipts: #571 15s. (519.8.6; 45.17.6; 1.16.0; tickets: none listed; Sundry Sums left at Door: 4.13.0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the Author of The Castle-Spectre [Matthew Gregory Lewis, also the author of Prologue and Epilogue (see text)]. "The Epilogue was spoken by Bannister Jun. in the character of Queen Elizabeth, who ascends from a trap in the middle of the stage, and who is supposed to have obtained the permission of Pluto to revisit her kingdom, in order to witness the representation of the East Indianv" (Monthly Mirror, Dec. 1799, p. 367). Receipts: #200 13s. 6d. (131.11.0; 67.9.6; 1.13.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Luke? Sparks. Tickets and places to be had of Hobson at the stage door, and of Sparks at Courteen's Coffee-House in Bow St., Covent Garden. Dramatic Censor, I, 34-35: The whole part of the King, except his soliloquy, is truly wretched for an actor: and, to say truth, I never saw one who did not make a very insipid figure in it, the late Mr Sparks excepted; he was great in the formentioned soliloquy, respectable in every passage of the least regard, and so peculiarly happy in falling, when stabled, from the throne, that we may truly say, a good end apologized for a very bad character. Receipts: #150 (Cross); house charges, #63 (Powel); cash, #80 7s. 6d.; tickets, #91 5s. (Clay MS)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sedgwick. Mainpiece: With additions from Dryden. The Musick by Purcell and Arne, and the new Airs and Chorusses by the late Linley Jun. Morning Chronicle, 2 May: Tickets to be had of Sedgwick, No. 18, Clement's-inn. Receipts: #390 8s. 6d. (97.13.6; 56.4.6; odd and after-money: 2.13;0; tickets: 233.17.6) (charge: #217 2s.)

Event Comment: About this time Mr Theo: Cibber Mr Maddocks the wire Dancer, & several other Theatrical performers, with & number of other Passangers embark'd on board the Dublin, Captain White, in order to go to Ireland but the Ship was lost & every Soul perish'd (Cross). As Mr Sparks & others complain'd of Mr Wilkinson for taking them off, it [Diversions of ye Morning] was intended to be omitted this Night, But the Audience call'd so violently for it, that we were oblig'd to let him do it--he took off Foote & Sheridan, & wou'd have left out Sparks but ye Audience wou'd not be satisfied without it--when they first call'd Mr Foote went forward & said as some of the performers had complain'd it was to be omitted; as for being taken off himself he had no Objection to it, as he was always glad to contribute to their Entertainm[en]t &c. (Cross). Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years [see 14 Oct. 1756]. Receipts: #130 (Cross); #139 10s. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: Benefit for King. [This was Smith's last appearance on the stage, from which he had officially retired on 9 June 1788.] Broadside in Kemble playbills announcing this benefit: Mr King most respectfully informs the Public that his Night is fixed for Friday the 18th of May, when will be presented The School for Scandal. Mr King has the pleasure to add that Mr Smith, who was so long and so worthily applauded by the Public, and was the original performer of Charles Surface in the above, distinguished Comedy, at the particular request of Mr King, backed by a strong assurance from many admirers and encouragers of the Drama that it will not only add to Mr King's emolument but highly gratify the Town, has kindly consented to return to the Theatre for one night, and resume his favourite Character. "We had been told that Smith pourtrayed the Manners of a finished gentleman with more delicacy and characteristic propriety than any actor of his day; but this did not appear to us to be his particular excellence; he stands too wide to be graceful, and his deportment gains no advantage from a perpetual application of his hand to the lower part of the waist. These habits are far from elegant. His Charles, however, is a favourable specimen of that sort of acting which commonly falls under the denomination of the old school: light, airy, and natural; which excites applause without any anxious endeavour to produce it; which suffers the points to tell of themselves, and does not place them as so many traps to ensnare the injudicious part of the audience" (Monthly Mirror, May 1798, p. 299). "He was received with the most heart-felt gratulations by an audience who did not expect any apology for such acting, though he saw fit to deliver one at the conclusion of the play" (Monthly Visitor, May 1798, p. 72). Times, 4 May: Tickets to be had of King at his house, New Store-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #674 6s. (388.0.6; 55.17.6; 2.0.0); tickets: 228.8.0) (charge: #212 5s. 6d.)

Event Comment: This comedy was wrote by Mr Moor, & except ye part of Faddle meet with Universal Applause (ye Author's first play) (Cross). New Scenes and Cloaths (General Advertiser). This C. was written by Moore--it is a good play--it was acted 11 times successively--Garrick's peculiar qualifications and happy use of them, added amazing spirit to the piece, and gave more consequence to Young Belmont than can well be imagined--Macklin, who never had in voice, figure or features much capacity for the fop cast, yet struck out some things in Faddle, that have not been since equalled, particularly in marking the obsequious knave throughout--Barry in the fourth act supported his character with emphatic dignity and in the last with melting tenderness--the part of Rosetta was undoubtedly conceived for Mrs Woffington, and she did it particular justice--the elegance, the notions of love, and the vanity of admiration, which are united in Rosetta, were natural to Mrs Woffington, so that she had the advantage of looking and speaking in her own character--the softness and pathos, which distinguished Fidelia sat with much ease on Mrs Cibber (Dramatic Censor, II, 206). [For contemporary account of plot and discussion of the play, see Gentleman's Magazine Feb. 1748, pp. 51-54; March 1748, pp. 114-17; May 1748, pp. 207-9; June 1748, pp. 257-59. See also G. Stayley, An Answer to an unjust criticism on the Foundling, listed in Register of Books, Gentleman's Magazine, May 1748, p. 240; A Criticism of the Foundling, in a letter to the author, listed in Register of Books, Gentleman's Magazine, March 1748, p. 144. The Larpent MS indicates many revisions. The substitution of Rake for Whoremaster, &c. Some Suggestive passages marked for excision. "The Disapprobation, which the Character of Faddle met with the first Night, made it necessary for me to shorten it in almost every Scene" (Dedication to 1st Edition).] Receipts: #200 (Cross); #200 5s. (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Burton, Raftor, I. Sparks (Cross). Last week Mr Garrick Paid to Mr Belchier, Banker in Lombard St., #208 1s., being the whole money receiv'd at the Benefit Play of King Lear, which he most generously gave for the relief of the unhappy sufferers by the late most dredful fire in Cornhill, &c., whithout deducting any charges whatsoever. [See note, 3 May] Receipts: #180 (Cross); house charges, #63 (Powel); cash, #56 19s. tickets, #128 10s. (Clay MS)

Event Comment: DDaily Advertiser, 30 May: We hear that Mr Cibber, Jun. one of the present Directors of his Majesty's Company of Comedians together with Mr Mills, Sen Mr Johnson, Mr Miller, Mr Harper, Mr Griffin, Mr Mills, jun. Mr Shepard, Mr Hallam, jun. Mrs Horton, Mrs Heron, Mrs Butler, and others of the Company, waited Yesterday on his Grace the Duke of Grafton...to deliver...an humble Petition, and they met with gracious Reception

Event Comment: Benefit for Sparks, Charges #60. Deficit to Sparks #11 2s. 5d., covered by #104 11s. from tickets. Paid Redman a bill for writing parts 10s. 4d.; Paid Lampe on acct by Mr Kirkman #12.Receipts: #48 18s

Event Comment: Benefit for Sparks. Tickets to be had of Mrs Sparks, at her house in Crown Court. Tickets deliver'd out for the Distress'd Mother will be taken. N.B. Mr Sparks having been very long indisposed and rendered incapable of attending the theatre, with the greatest deference persuades himself that Circumstance will readily plead his Apology, and induce his friends to dispense with his personal appearance, and favor him with their commands; and that they will excuse the changing of his play, to which he is oblig'd by the illness of a principal performer; of which and his former obligations, he shall always retain the most gratful sense. [Sparks had been ill since 14 Jan. when Hull took over his part of Buckingham in King Richard III.

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. Mainpiece: By Permission of George Colman Jun., Esq. [Prologue by George Colman Jun. (Kemble Mem.), printed in Henry Angelo,@Reminiscences, 1828, I, 331-32.] Morning Herald, 29 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 2, Frith-street, Soho. Receipts: #538 18s. 6d. (251.19.6; 32.18.0; 3.0.0; tickets: 251.1.0) (charge: #163 9s. 2d.)

Event Comment: By Authority of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Lacy, formerly of the Theatre Royal, Drury-Lane. Tickets to be had of Fosbrook, at the Box Office of the Drury Lane Theatre, and Rice, at the Box Office of the Theatre-Royal, Haymarket, where Places for the Boxes may be taken. [Address by John Taylor (Monthly Mirror, Dec. 1798, p. 370). On this night the following appeared both at dl and at the hay: Hollingsworth, Caulfield, Bannister Jun., Suett, Miss Pope, Mrs Bland.