Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Merope, announced on playbill of 4 Jan. "We played last night Much Ado about Nothing, and had an apology to make for the change of three principal parts. About twelve o'clock Mr Henderson sent word he was not able to play. We got Mr Lewis from Covent Garden, who supplied the part of Benedick. Soon after Mr Parsons sent word he could not play. Mr Moody supplied the part of Dogberry; and about four in the afternoon Mr Vernon sent word he could not play. Mr Mattocks supplied his part of Balthazar...In the middle of the first act, a message was brought me that Mr Lamash (who was to play the part of Borachio) was not come to the House. I had nobody there that could go on for it, so I was obliged to cut his scenes in the first and second acts entirely out, and got Mr Wrighten to go on for the remainder of the part. At length we got the play over without the audience finding it out. We had a very bad house. Mr Parsons is not able to play in The School for Scandal to-morrow night; do not yet know how we shall be able to settle that" (Garrick, Private Correspondence, II, 328-29: Hopkins, prompter,in letter to Garrick, 6 Jan. 1779. He does not state who took Wrighten's place as the Sexton.).] On account of the sudden Illness of a Principal Performer, the new Pantomime [The Wonders of Derbyshire, announced on playbill of 4 Jan.] is obliged to be deferred till Friday. Receipts: #74 11s. (48.19; 25.10; 0.2)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To White Hall, and got my Lord Bellasses to get me into the playhouse; and there, after all staying above an hour for the players, the King and all waiting, which was absurd, saw Henry the Fifth well done by the Duke's people, and in most excellent habits, all new vests, being put on but this night. But I sat so nigh and far off, that I missed most of the words, and sat with a wind coming into my back and neck, which did much trouble me. The play continued till twelve at night. A Prologue for this play is in A Letter from a Gentleman to the Honourable Ed. Howard (London, 1668)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: With my wife's knowledge and leave did by coach go see the silly play of my Lady Newcastle's, called The Humourous Lovers; the most silly thing tiat ever come upon a stage. I was sick to see it, but yet would would not but have seen it, that I might the better understand her. Here I spied Knipp and Betty Hall?, of the King's house, and sent Knipp oranges

Event Comment: Benefit Hall and Swiny.At the Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: Benefit Baggs and Hall

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Powell and Hall. For the Entertainment of the Four Kings lately arriv'd from America

Event Comment: Benefit Hall and Legar

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Shakespear. With all the Scenes, Machines, and other Decorations proper to the Play and the Original Musick, Songs, and Dances. Afterpiece: With the Additional Scene representing the Drawing of the Lottery in Guild-Hall. [For a discussion of Wilks as actor-manager and a brief comment on the defects of T. Cibber as Macduff, see Grub St. Journal, 5 Oct.

Event Comment: Daily Courant, 2 Feb.: We are credibly informed, that Charles Fleetwood, Esq; of Bromley-Hall, in the county of Stefford . . . hath purchased all the shares of the Patentees of the Theatre in Drury-Lane

Event Comment: Benefit Mills. By Command of His Royal Highness. To which (By Command) will be added, The Coronation of Anna Bullen, with the Military Ceremony of the Champion in Westminster-Hall, for the Entertainment of . . .the Prince of Orange, who accompanies his Royal Highness to the Play. [Prince of Wales, Prince of Orange, Princess Caroline present.]

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. [Mainpiece in place of The Natural Son; afterpiece of Liberty Hall, both announced on playbill 22 Feb.] Receipts: #286 14s. 6d. (276/12/0; 9/12/0; 0/10/6)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Marks, Brandon, Edwards, Hall, Rolles, Turtle, Walker, Doe will be admitted (Account-Book). Receipts: #265 5s. 6d. (60.8.6; 3.4.0; tickets: 201.13.0)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Helme, Gaudry, Saby, Young, Hall, Rye, Ackery, Anselmo, Pilbrow, Mrs Linton, Mrs Lampe, Mrs Atkins will be admitted (Account-Book). Receipts: #243 15s. 6d. (57.16.0; 3.0.6; tickets: 182.19.0)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Miss Ansell, Luxmore, Arne, Akery, Pilbrow, Hall [carpenter], Saby, the Band, Mrs Davenett, Blant, Gray will be admitted. Receipts: #266 6s. 6d. (28.4.0; 4.13.6; tickets: 233.9.0)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Hall, Furkins, Lamp, Pilborough, Plank, Anselmo, Byrne, Copland, Rye, Mrs Arne, Mrs Linton, Jealous, Brereton, Varley, Doser, Loyde, the Band will be admitted. Receipts: #256 (21.10; 2.7; tickets: 232.3)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered for The Merry Wives of Windsor will be admitted. Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Bourrelier, Shuter, Simmons, Strahan, Luxmore, Walker, Saby, Atkins, Young, Curteen, Hall [box-keeper], Hill, Combes, Heathcot, W. Ansell will be admitted. Receipts: #349 15s. (57.6; 5.16; tickets: 286.13)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Robson[door-keeper], Iredale, Doe, McDonald, Green, Savery, Dosel, Clarridge, Wilkins, Mott, Rolls, Wyatt, Hall [carpenter], Noble, Robson [music porter], Mrs Harris, Rock, Egan will be admitted. Receipts: #364 4s. (45.19.6; 5.4.6; tickets: 313.0.0)

Event Comment: The Last Night of the Company's Performing. Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Green, Harris, Doe, Iredale, Savery, Wilkins, Wyat, Hall [carpenter], Robson [music porter], Mott, Rolls, Mrs Rock, Finley, Dosel, Sturgeon will be admitted. Account-Book, 18 June: Paid Hill, Waxchandler, in full, #143 2s. Receipts: #405 4s. 6d. (39.14.6; after-money: none listed; tickets: 365.10.0)

Event Comment: By Particular Desire of the Mirza, Prince of Broach. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1, by Charles Dibdin; music by the author. MS: Larpent 1030; not published]: The Words of the Songs, &c. will be given at the different Doors of the Theatre. Tickets delivered for THE BEGGAR'S OPERA [Account-Book: by Heathcote, Bayzand, Egan, Pitt, Masters, Dick, Hall (carpenter), Doe, Goodwin] will be admitted. Receipts: #238 14s. 6d. (26/4/0; 3/17/6; tickets: 208/13/0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With Alterations [by John Philip Kemble]. The Scenery and Dresses are entirely new. The Scenes designed and executed by Marinari and Capon. [Oracle, 29 Feb.: Capon painted three scenes of Westminster Hall.] An accurate Edition of The Plain Dealer to be had in the Theatre. Receipts: #324 14s. 6d. (322.6.6; 2.8.0)

Event Comment: [Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Jackson, Paskin, Hay, Dick, Doe, Hall, Carpenter, Larkman, Robson (music porter), Smart, Strahan, Anselmo, Sturgeon will be admitted.] Receipts: #398 11s. 6d. (43.0.0; 4.0.0; tickets: 351.11.6)