Event Comment: Paid 2 Clarinets 6 nights (13th inst. incl.) #9 9s.; Paid Mr Barrow & Co. for Oil #34 17s. 6d.; Mrs Chitty for coals #46 5s.; Mrs Weston's Bill to Mr Singleton #6 6s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #130 13s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Tragedy never performed before. This Tragedy was written by Mr Murphy & has great Merit, it is very carefully got up & well perform'd, & receiv'd uncommon Applause Mrs Barry Display great Tragick powers & receiv'd the vast Applause She merited--She will gain great Reputation in the part (Hopkins Diary). New Scenes, Dresses, Decorations. Theatrical Review, 26 Feb.: Mrs Barry rose beyond herself, if we may be allowed the expression, in the laborious Character of Euphrasia....The scenes and decorations were well adapted to the importance of the piece. The representation of the city of Syracusev, with a view of the sea; and the Temple scene, with the mausoleum, in particular are extremely well executed, and do credit to the theatre, and honor to the artists who designed and painted them. Paid two notes for Mr J. Aickin, per order #12 1s. 8d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #251 7s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Mr Dibdin's draft on Managers, #50; Mrs Weston 4 nights in the Garter in full, 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Mr Daigueville, First Dancer and Ballet Master at Drury Lane House, gives notice to the Nobility and Gentry, that he has an elegant dancing room, No. 38 Cow Lane, Snowhill; where he continues to teach every day the Dauphin's Minuet and others...Teaches abroad also when required; and at the request of his scholars, he will give a Ball on the 10th instant. The Gentlemen are desired to call at his house for the tickets 10s. 6d. each, to admit one Gentleman and a Lady. If any Gentleman wants the Ballroom for private assembly or concert they may have it for one or two nights in the week. Receipts: #159 6s. (Treasurer Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted for 14 years, altered from Shirley. [See 7 Feb. 1758.] Characters New Dress'd in the Habits of the Times. This Comedy is reviv'd with Alterations. It is well perform'd & had great Applause (Hopkins Diary). Paid Half year's paving &c. to Mich. last for Drury Lane & Russel St. #14. Mr Godfrey for women's cloaths, #15. Mr Clutterbuck's last summer's balance #57 15s. 2d.; Mrs Foster for men's cloaths, #25 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #121 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Command of their Majesties. This Comedy is reviv'd with great Alterations by Mr G. by particular desire of the Queen. The play went off vastly well Mr G. Play'd with great Spirit & much Applauded the Alterations are vastly lik'd it will now be a living Play (Hopkins Diary). Doors open half past five. Play to begin promptly at six. House (Hopkins Diary). Receipts: #156 12s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Egerton. Rec'd from Mr Dodd on Acct #15; from Mr Clutterbuck's [acc't] #200; Stopages #18 2s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #105 6s. Charges: #65 8s. Profits to Mrs Egerton: #39 18s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Advanced Mr Watson (box office keeper) #10; Ditto to Mr Archeveque (Box office keeper) #15 (Treasurer's Book). [These sums were ready cash for operating, making change etc. and were returned at close of season.] Receipts: #166 14s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: This farce was wrote by Mr Cumberland & receiv'd with Applause (Hopkins Diary). [Larpent MS 365, suggests Sapling was written for Weston.] Paid Mr Lacy Frederick for sattin #15 10s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #205 10s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With New Dresses and Decorations. N.B. After this night the Meeting of the Company will be laid aside for sometime. The Play was New drest in the Habits of the time & they look'd very well & was applauded (Hopkins Diary) Paid 3 days salary list at #91 16s. 4d. per diem, #275 9s.; Sundry salaries not on list last week as per partners in Memorandum Book, #44 8s.; Mr Granier for last week 12s. 6d.; Mr J. French on acct #5 5s. Receipts: #226 3s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Johnston (Housekeeper and Box-book keeper). Rec'd from Sinking Fund (3rd) #73 10s.; From Mr Clutterbuck (1st) #500; from Stopages #11; Paid Salary list #564 16s.; J. French on acct #5 5s.; G. Garrick on acct #100. Receipts: #276 4s. 6d. Charges: #84. Profits to Mr A. Johnston: #192 4s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Miss Younge being ill, Mrs King play'd Arpasia very bad much hiss'd (Hopkins Diary). Paid salary list #626 16s. 6d.; Collett #2 13s. 2d.; Mr Packer on note #30; Mr Sadler for cloth #1 15s. Rec'd Stopages #14 2s. 6d. Receipts: #153 19s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by the Author of The Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture and New Musick composed by Dr Arnold. "The same person who, in the play, performed the school-fellow of the Nabob with a great deal of nature, and original humour, here acted the part of the school-master; his name is Edwin, and he is, without doubt, one of the best actors of all that I have seen ... [He], in all his comic characters, still preserves something so inexpressibly good tempered in his countenance, that notwithstanding all his burlesques, and even grotesque buffoonery, you cannot but be pleased with him . . . Nothing could equal the tone and countenance of self-satisfaction, with which he answered one who asked him whether he was a scholar? 'Why, I was a master of scholars.' A Mrs Webb represented a cheesmonger, and played the part of a woman of the lower class, so naturally, as I have no where else ever seen equalled. Her huge, fat, and lusty carcase, and the whole of her external appearance seemed quite to be cut out for it" (Carl Philipp Moritz, Travels in England in 1782, London, 1924, pp. 73-74)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for The Literary Fund. [In this performance the male parts were acted chiefly by amateurs; the female parts were acted by professionals. Prologue and Epilogue by Thomas Morris (Morning Herald, 17 Apr.).] The Committee for the Management of the Literary Fund respectfully inform the Public that affecting instabces of Merit in distress exceed their power of relief by the ordinary Subscription; and that they wish to have recourse to every honourable expedient to increase that power. The Admission will be by Tickets, at the Opera Prices. Boxes and Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. No more Company will be admitted than the House will hold with perfect convenience; and when the proper number of Tickets is issued, no means of admission can be obtained. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 precisely. Registers: Thomas Dale, M. D.; Mr Deputy Nichols. Treasurers: Thomas Morris, Esq.; Mr E. Brooke. "In the course of the play we observed several restorations of Shakespeare's text, with some interpolations. The boldest of the latter was the introduction of Richard's son to him in the tent, the night befiredthedbefore the Battle of Bosworth field. This scene was borrowed, as we believe, from Thomas? Hull's Legendary Tale of Richard Plantagenet. It was well written, and produced a considerable degree of effect. The Ghosts were banished, and the start and stagger of Richard, heretofore the theatrical trick of the scene, necessarily omitted" (Diary, 17 Apr.)

Event Comment: Lewis having a severe Hoarseness, Fortune's Fool [advertised on playbill of 4 Nov.] is deferred till Monday. Afterpiece [1st time: BURL 2. by John O'Keeffe. MS: Larpent MS 1141; not published, except for Airs (T. N. Longman, 1796)]: Partly new, and partly taken from The Golden Pippin [by Kane O'Hara]. The Overture and new Music by Reeve. The Selections from Pergolesi, Rousseau, Mornington, Fisher, Carolan, Rizzio, &c. With new Scenery, Machinery, Dresses and Decorations. The Scenery by Phillips, Blackmore, Hollogan, and assistants. The Dragon, the Car and the Machinery designed and executed by Cresswell. The Dresses by Dick and Mrs Egan. "The beauty of the scenery is only to be equalled by the ingenuity of the machinery. The descents and ascents of the Deities were managed with astonishing regularity and adroitness; and the Flying Cupids hovered in the air in very pleasing attitudes...The Pas de Russe, danced by Delpini, a-la-Parisot [see dl. 1 Oct.], in the character of a fine Lady, with Munden, was irresistibly comic" (Morning Herald, 7 Nov.). Receipts: #191 2s. 6d. (185.10.6; 5.12.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Mattocks. 1st piece: In 3 Acts. [In 1st piece the playbill assigns Welford to Holman, and in 3rd piece Don Carlos to the same. But "An uncle of Holman expired suddenly on Saturday morning. An apology was made for Holman in the evening, and Macready took the Parts he was to have performed in the Play and Farce" (True Briton, 8 May). In 1st piece Cheaterly is assigned to Macready; who took his place is not stated.] True Briton, 22 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Mattocks, No. 8, Great Russell-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #223 12s. 6d. (118.10.0; 4.2.0; tickets: 101.0.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bland. Afterpiece: By permission of the Proprietors of the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane. Times, 18 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Bland, No. 25, King-street, Covent-garden

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Gibbs. 1st piece: Never acted here. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1. In it the playbill lists Dicky Gossip by Suett, but "Fawcett came forward with an apology, stating that Suett had been suddenly taken ill, and was unable to attend the theatre. The galleries...insisted on Fawcett's singing the song in Suett's stead. Fawcett pleaded his incapacity, and at length, by dint of a little buffoonery and grimace (talents essentially necessary on such occasions) succeeded in a appeasing the tumult" (Dramatic Censor, III, 127)]

Event Comment: Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 31: Note, About the Year 1670, Mrs Aldridge, after Mrs Lee, after Lady Slingsby, also Mrs Leigh Wife of Mr Antony Leigh, Mr Crosby, Mrs Johnson, were entertain'd in the Duke's House

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the London Gazette, 17-21 Feb. 1697@8, suggests that it was first given not later than January 1697@8. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 44: Heroick Love, Wrote by Mr George Greenvil, Superlatively Writ; a very good Tragedy, well Acted, and mightly pleas'd the Court and City. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 20: The Language is very correct: But with submission to him [Granville], his Fable is not well chosen; there's too little Business in't for so long a Representation: But if Mr G. had taken the Story at a greater length, and contriv'd the Incidents to surprize, he had made it an admirable Tragedy

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Flying Post, 29-31 March 1698, suggests that the first performance probably occurred in late February or very early in March. One song, Though over all mankind, the music by Leveridge and sung by Mrs Lindsey, was published in A Second Book of Songs with a Through Bass, 1699

Event Comment: [By George Farquhar. Premiere.] On Monday Night a Rencounter happen'd on the Stage...between Mr Fielding and Mr Goodyar, in which the former was Wounded

Event Comment: Not Acted these Twenty Years. Tickets for Oroonoko, deferred by Mrs Layfield's indisposition, will be taken at this play