Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. Mainpiece: Not acted these 20 years. To prevent mistakes, Ladies are desired to send their servants by 3 o'clock. Tickets and places to be had of Mr Sarjant, at the Stage Door and NO WHERE ELSE

Event Comment: Paid Mr Rayner a bill for bows and arrows in LaRivier's dance #1 2s. (Account Book). [Probably for the dance called The Female Archer, which was in rehearsal and due to be presented 15 Dec.] Receipts: #119 16s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pritchard. Part of pit laid into boxes. House charges #61 4s. [Profit to Mrs Pritchard #68 8s.] Lent to Mr Johnston, Prompter, by order #2 2s.; Paid to James Aickin on his note #40; Paid Poor's rate (1!2 year for St Martin's) #20 4s.; Salary list #294 2s. 8d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #129 12s. (Treasurer's Book). Went to see Macbeth for Mrs Pritchard's Benefit. Got a good seat in the Pit, which was not full for half an hour after I went, tho part of it was laid into the boxes. Read the Public Advertiser of Today' and part of London Chronicle before the play began...Dance of the Furies in the 4th Act, and end of the Play (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: KKing of Denmark--Macbeth, Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). For the King of Denmark--put in by Particular desire (Hopkins Diary). Lady Macbeth-Mrs Barry, late Mrs Dancer. The doors (by Particular Desire) will be opened at half past 5 o'clock. The Play to begin exactly at 7 o'clock

Event Comment: To begin at 6 o'clock. Doors open at 5 o'clock. Send servants at 4 o'clock. King of Denmark. Ranger-Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). Both pieces By Command of Their Majesties

Event Comment: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. No Persons to be admitted behind the scenes, nor any money returned after the Curtain is Drawn up. Places for the boxes to be had (only) of Mr Sarjant at the Stage Door. The Doors to be opened at Five o'clock. To begin exactly at Six o'clock. Vivant Rex & Regina! [Customary note for each bill. Only significant changes will be further noted. The company was weakened by the loss of Woodward (see 23 Oct.) who accompanied Foote to Edinburgh, and of Mrs Bellamy who was not engaged. Miss Catley, however, returned from Ireland after an absence of 9 years. And Ross returned after four years.

Event Comment: Author's night. Afterpiece: Not acted in 2 years. [See 16 May 1769.] Theatrical Review, 29 Feb.: A tolerable representation of the ceremony of drawing the tickets, at Guildhall, is introduc'd, and the whole together is rendered a very diverting performance. Rec'd Stopages, #11 6d.; Paid salary list #500 18s. 6d.; Mrs Abington's cloaths acct, #2; Mr S. French 6 days #1 10s. (Treasurer's Book). This day publish'd (From the Subscription Quarto, a neat pocket edition) Dramatic Genius, in Five Books...Printed for T. Becket. Receipts: #252 11s.; Charges: #73 10s.; Profit to Murphy: #179 1s. (Treasuer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer. Mainpiece: Not acted these 12 years. Rec'd Mr Stevens 1 year's rent to Lady Day last (taxes deducted #13 3s. 8d.) #3 6s. 4d. (Treasurer's Book). Mrs Barry Isabella (1st time) great Applause (Hopkins Diary). Burton died on Sunday 3 May (Winston MS 10). Receipts: #158 15s. Charges: #64 17s. Profit to J. Palmer: #93 18s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Advanced Mr Clinch as per order #20; Half a year's Land & Window Tax for St Martin's to Michelmas last #38 4s. 4d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #175 14s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Lessingham. Mainpiece: A Tragedy altered from Dryden [Aureng-Zebe] by Mr W. Addington, never performed before. Afterpiece: Not acted these 4 years. [See 16 May 1770.] Charges #71 2s. Profit to Mrs Lessingham #38 7s. 6d., plus #92 12s. from tickets (Box 186; Pit 146; Gallery 242). Paid Cooper (printer) #36 2s.; Paid Mrs Witaker for a woman's white & silver flower'd suit #10 10s.; Paid John Doe for sticking black bills #6 6s. Receipts: #109 9s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Davies and Mrs Love. Tickets deliver'd by Norris taken. Receipts: #143 5s. 6d. Charges: #74 14s. Profits to Davies and Mrs Love: #68 11s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The Two Misers is unavoidably oblig'd to be deferr'd. Books of the Entertainment [The Two Misers?] to be had at the theatre. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. No persons admitted behind the scenes, nor any money returned after the curtain is up. Places for the Boxes to be taken, of Mr Sarjant (only) at the Stage Door. The Doors to be opened at Half after Five o'clock. To Begin exactly at Half after Six. Vivant Rex and Regina. (Customary footnote for succeeding Playbills. It will not be repeated here. The Westminster Magazine, September, p. 459, indicates a Prelude was also given this opening night, consisting of several of the actors comparing notes on their various successes, casts of parts, droll accidents, which they had experienced during their different summer excursions. Mattocks, Dunstall, Lee Lewes, Miss Barsanti, and Hull participated. The reviewer reported the content of their reminiscences, but disliked the jumbled nature of the Prelude. Another account in the Morning Post, 21 September.] Note: For performance at hay 20 September, see Season of 1774-1775, p. 1905

Event Comment: Fanny first time Miss P. Hopkins-very well and great applause (Hopkins Diary). The altered Comedy of Old City Manners, which was to have been performed this evening, for the author, is oblig'd to be deferr'd till Monday next on account of Mr Dodd's illness, when tickets deliver'd for this night will be taken. Receipts: #154 17s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 12 years. [See 26 April 1763.] This Comedy is reviv'd for the Queen to See Mr G. in Sir Anthony Bramble which he perfkrmed inimitably--he wrote and spoke a New Address to the Ladies in the Character of Sr. Anto. which was receiv'd with very great Applause. The Play is long and heavy (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] Paid salary list #624 6s. 6d.; Westminster Charity Subscription #5 5s.; Griffith 3 weeks 15s.; Mrs Greville for cloaths in Irish Widow, #5 9s. Receipts: #273 1s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Smith. Mr Lacy play'd Cyrus. Spoke too Low and wanted Spirit. Was receiv'd with Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] Tickets delivered for Siege of Damascus, for that night, will be taken. The Bill For establishing a Fund for Decayed Actors of dl Theatre has passed the House of Lords (Winston MS 11). Receipts: #134 19s. Charges: #67 7s. 6d. Profits to Smith: #67 11s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs West. Tickets to be had of West, at the Ship, near the Seven Houses, Rotherhithe. Mainpiece: In Act II the triumphal entry of Alexander into Babylonv; In Act IV the grand Banquet where Alexander kills his faithful soldier, old Clytus. [The playbill contains a lengthy synopsis of the plot of the mainpiece; it concludes by noting that "the many flowery passages with which this tragedy abounds does honour to the pen of its author, N. Lee, Esqr., and we may justly say with Mr Pope, 'Such plays alone shou'd please a British ear, as Cato's self had not disdain'd to hear.'"]

Event Comment: ["The Lord Ogleby of (The Clandestine Marriage) raised Mr King to the summit of comic excellence, which his more recent great character, Sir Peter Teazle in The School for Scandal, has established him in the unrivalled possession of" (Johnson, ed. Waldron, 169).] Receipts: #245 (211.9; 33.6; 0.5)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; MD 5, by Thomas Morton. Prologue by William Thomas Fitzgerald. Epilogue by Miles Peter Andrews (see text)]: The Scenes, principally new, designed and painted by Richards, Hodgins, Pugh, Walmsley, and assistants. With entire new Dresses and Decorations. "The management of the earthquake in which the Temple of the Sun is destroyed was a very fine piece of stage mechanism; the effect of which was considerably heightened by the improved performance of the Bold Thunder, and that also of his Electrical Harbinger. The gradations and cadences of the first were superior to anything of the kind we remember within the walls of the theatre...The scene of the rising sun was uncommonly dingy" (Public Advertiser, 3 Dec.). "Mr Morton in full for Columbus #214 10s. 6d." [MS annotation on BM playbill, 26 Dec. 1792 (cg, Vol. VIII)]. Morning Herald, 14 Dec. 1792: This day at noon will be published Columbus (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #301 8s

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by William Pearce]: With new Music, Scenes and Dresses. The Music composed and selected [From Paisiello and Gretry (BUC, 946)] by Shield. The Scenes designed and executed by Richards. Books of the Songs to be at the Theatre. ["Mr Pearce #100 for Midnight Wanderers" (MS annotation on BM playbill (cg, Vol. VIII), 2 Mar. 1793).] Morning Herald, 21 May 1793: This day is published The Midnight Wanderers (1s.). Receipts: #332 17s. 6d

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With Additions (by John Philip Kemble] from Dryden. The Musick by Purcell and Dr Arne, with the new Airs and Chorusses by the late Mr Linley Jun