Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Music [to afterpiece] by Barthelemon. I often go to both theatres, have seen Garrick and Mrs Yates, who are the first in this theatrical sphere. The former has hitherto [i.e., this season] appeared only in comedy, --his manner, his humour, and his judgment are not to be equall'd. The adoration he meets with from the English is equal to his merit. His every motion they attend to, and every turn of his eye seems to transport them. Mrs Yates [at Covent Garden] has much tragic merit. Her low voice is very tuneful, her feeling great, her action peculiarly graceful and her figure uncommonly fine. She has more power than Mrs Dancer (at Drury Lane] and more variety than Mrs Fitz-Henry, tho' less strength and compass. On the whole she is superior to the former and inferior to the latter. Barry and Mrs Dancer are engag'd here (MS Letter from Henry Grattan to Cornet Broome giving his first impressions of living in London, 27 Oct. 1767, in Folger Library). Neville MS Diary: Went into the Pit to see As You Like It a second time. Reddish did Orlando for the 1st time. He is a pretty good player. End Act I, Hearts of Oak. The Entertainment was the new Farce called a Peep Behind the Curtain. Glib by King who is the author. The piece is not unentertaining, whatever other merit it may have. The Prologue and an Address to the Town by way of Epilogue, are spoken by Mr King, the music by Barthelemon

Event Comment: Benefit for Theatrical Fund, instituted by Persons of this theatre. Mainpiece: Acted there but once. Such of the Nobility, Gentry, etc. who are pleased to favour this undertaking are desire to send for places, Pit or Box tickets, to Mr Sarjant at the stage-door. [Neville attended at half-past four and read the principal parts of the play, as altered by Colman. Noted that Sga Manesiere did The Sicilian Peasant in boy's clothes.] @Receipts #164 19s.@Charges to House #63@Chorus Singers #1 15s.@Candles #1 5s.@Kettle Drum 5s.@Bag Pipes 5s.@#66 10s.@Dr to the Fund #98 9s.-Account Book@

Event Comment: Never Perform'd. Founded on Beaumont and Fletcher. Music by Thomas Linley. A Comic Opera the Music entirely new. [By Thomas Hull altered from The Royal Merchant; or the Beggar's Bush (Biographia Dramatica). See 19 Dec. 1767 for further note on Music.] Paid Mr Horne for 4 Tambourines #1 10s. (Account Book). Went into the Pit to see the opera founded on Beaumont and Fletcher, performed for the first time....The music may be good, but the piece is trifling and childish, barren of incident and character except that of Clause played by Bensley and the frightened peasant. The performers are in the Flemish dresses of the times, and do the piece much justice. At the beginning of the 2nd act some fellows in the 2s. Gallery began a disturbance, but were turn'd out and carried before Sir John Fielding, where they confessed that they were hired to disturb this performance by a publican, but refused to say whom....Stood in the well (Neville MS Diary). Receipts: #225 1s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: The Fifth Performance of the Mainpiece. The Music by Mr Linley of Bath. Afterpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid James Abbott for Flowers etc. for the Garland Dance #5 11d. and paid Mrs Winter for flowers etc. for the same #2 13s. 4d. (Account Book). [See 14 Dec.] Receipts: #211 2s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: HHull's second Night. House charges #84. Balance to Hull #52 16s. and in addition #1 13s. from disposal of 3 Box and 6 Pit tickets. Paid Mr Buzaglio in full for use of a warming machine #15 15s. (Account Book). Receipts: #136 16s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Oratorio written by the late Mr Brown. Benefit for and Increase of a Fund established for the Support of decay'd Musicians and their Families. Pit and Boxes half a guinea. First Gallery 5s. Upper gallery 3s. 6d

Event Comment: Full Prices. Hopkins MS Memorandum Book: By the Manager's order I ask'd Mr Joseph? Reed what he had a benefit for the next night. His answer was The Managers give it him for his withdrawing Dido and on account of The Register Office and to clear them from all demands he had upon them whatever

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Published Animadversions on Mr Colman's True State etc., with some remarks on his little serious piece, The Oxonian in Town (20 pp.). [Criticizes the play as having a bad influence on the young, with its characters of whores, bawds and pickpockets. Did our author flatter himself that he could wipe out these rooted impressions with a cold moral sentence uttered by the mouth of a woman of pleasure, and perhaps never reaching the ears of one half of the audience from the variety of noises which accompany the finishing speech of every play?" Concludes: "The reputation of our Universities is a national concern of the highest and most sacred importance....I blush when I see academical characters brought upon the stage, but I burn when I see them lampooned."] House Charges: #35 (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. With two New Scenes in the Afterpiece painted by Richards and Dahl. Mr Woodward, at the particular request of several persons of Quality has changed from the Fair Quaker to The Busy Body. Tickets deliver'd for Fair Quaker will be admitted. House charges with candles and extras #65 15s. Balance to Woodward #102 7s. plus #58 5s. for 233 Box tickets (Account Book). [Public Advertiser, 12 Dec. 1767: "Speedily will be published the Battle of the Wigs, an additional canto to Dr Garth's poem The Dispensary. Occasioned by the Disputes between the Fellows and licentiates of the College of Physicians in London. By B. T. and M. B."] Receipts: #168 2s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Baddeley

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs DuBellamy. Charges #64 00s. Deficit to the DuBellamys #26 10s., covered by #60 6s. from tickets (Box 93; Pit 205; Gallery 63). Receipts: #37 18s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Being desir'd by many Persons of Quality, for ONE NIGHT ONLY, and By Permission of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of the Catch-Club, at the Thatch'd House in St Jame's St., will be perform'd the Favourite Catches and Glees which were exhibited Last Summer at Ranelagh-House, With TWO DESIR'D ALTERATIONS. After the 2nd Act, a Concerto on the Violin, by Barthelemon. A Considerable number of the Best Vocal and Instrumental Performers are engag'd on this occasion. Books for the Performance to be had at the theatre. Great care will be taken to keep the Theatre Cool. Ladies and Gentlemen send servants before the opening of the doors, which will be at Half-past 4. No persons can possibly be admitted behind the scenes. To Begin at exactly Seven o'clock. Tickets to be had and places to be taken (ONLY) of Mr Johnston at the stage Door (playbill)

Event Comment: This comic opera of two acts [Padlock] was written by Mr Bickerstaffe and is a very compleat, pretty piece,--the music very striking.--Mrs Dorman was hissed at first, but the piece went off very well, and much applauded (Hopkins Diary). New Scenes, Dresses, Music and other Decorations. Doors opened at half past 4. Play to begin exactly at 6 o'clock. [A three column retelling of the plot of the padlock appeared in Lloyd's Evening Post, for Oct. 5-7.

Event Comment: HHamlet, Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). Hamlet-Holland (Winston MS 10 and playbill). The Revenge deferred. Reddish ill

Event Comment: MMr Aickin hissed for being imperfect.--This night was introduced at the end of the Pantomime a Grand Masquerade in imitation of that given by the King of Denmark at the Opera House, and lighted up after the same manner--Every performer belonging to the House was on, even Mr Garrick and his brother.--The dresses were very elegant, and the whole very striking,--and gave pleasure to the Audience (Hopkins Diary). [The masquerade remained a part of Queen Mab and was also attached to Fortunatus. It evoked the following verse in Lloyd's Evening Post, Nov. 21-23]: One night last week a merry blade,@Who'd seen the Royal Masquerade,@And paid ten guineas for admission,@Began to damn the imposition;@His friend reply'd, "You may complain,@For I last Night at Drury Lane,@Saw full as much for eighteen pence,@As you got at such vast expence."-- G.S. C y

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Died Mr Sparks late of Covent Garden theatre (Lloyd's Evening Post, 30 Dec.). Gave Duke of Cumberland's Footmen #2 2s. (Account Book). Receipts: #172 15s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: ZZingis was to have been played tonight; but Mr Holland cut his hand, and could not play (Hopkins Diary)