Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Mountain. [Philipps is identified in Monthly Mirror, Sept. 1796, p. 315. As Mrs Plomer Sga Salvini had 1st appeared at the hay, 12 June 1788.] Afterpaece [1st time; MF 2, author unknown. Larpent MS 1131; not published]: The Music and Overture by Spofforth. Morning Herald, 4 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Mountain, No. 6, York-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #380 18s. 6d. (150.7.6; 5.16.0; 224.15.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Martyr. [In 1st piece the playbill retains Mrs Martyr as Dolly, but "Dolly was undertaken at a short notice, by Mrs Chapman, upon the sudden indisposition of Mrs Martyr" (Monthly Mirror, June 1800, p. 366). "In consequence of Mrs Martyr's accouchement...the part of Dolly was sustained by Miss Sims" (Dramatic Censor, II, 140).] 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1, author unknown. Not in Larpent MS; not published]: To conclude with a Representation of the Storming the City of Acrev by the French [17 Mar.-20 May 1799], and the Heroic Defence made by the Turkish Troops led on by the British Sailors [under the command of Sir Sidney Smith]. Morning Chronicle, 23 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Martyr, No. 16, Martlett-court, Bow-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #333 4s. 6d. (118.3.6; 11.16.6; tickets: 203.4.6)

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not precisely known, but it seems likely to have been in mid-January. See the discussion under 10 Jan. 1693@4 and Evelyn's remarks on 11 Jan. 1693@4. Part of the music for the play was composed by John Eccles: Young I am and yet unskill'd, sung by a girl, in Gentleman's Journal, January@February 1693@4, and Thesaurus Musicus, 1694: What state of life can be so blest, -Mrs Hudson, in Thesaurus Musicus, 1694. One song was set by Henry Purcell, How happy's the husband, the words by Congreve and sung by Mrs Ayliff, in Thesaurus Musicus, 1694: see also Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), xiii-xiv

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Saunders and Mrs Cox. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality

Event Comment: [By Ambrose Phillips.] At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. William Egerton: And in the Spring came on Mr Phillips's Tragedy, The Distrest Mother. Mrs Rogers, an Actress, who in her Turn, had made a considerable Figure on the Stage, was designed the Part of (Andromache, Hector's Widow, &. i.e.) the Distrest Mother. But the Author, as well as his Friends, were soon convinced that Mrs Oldfield was infinitely the more accomplished Person for so Capital a Part. Upon its being given to Her, Mrs Rogers raised a Posse of Profligates, fond of Tumult and Riot, who made such a Commotion in the House, that the Court hearing of it send four of the Royal Messengers, and a strong Guard, to suppress all Disorders. This being effected, the Play was brought upon the Stage and crowned with deserved Success (Egerton, pp. 31-32)

Event Comment: Never Acted before. [By Mrs Aubin.

Event Comment: Benefit Vallois and Mrs Vallois (late Widow to Monsieur Roger, the Pierrot in Drury Lane, Deceas'd). Acted by the Comedians form the Theatre in Goodman's Fields. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. 6:30 p.m. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 1s. 6d

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Mr Congreve, London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 2 Oct.: Last Night in the Entertainment of Dr Faustus...when the Machine wherein were Harlequin, the Miller's Wife, the Miller and his the Miller's Man, was got up to the full Extent of its flying, one of the Wires which held up the hind part of the Car broke first, and then the other broke, and the Machine, and all the People in it fell down Upon the Stage; by which unhappy Accident the young Woman who personated the Miller's Wife had her Thigh broke, and her Kneepan shatter'd, and was otherways very much bruised, the Harlequin had his Head bruised, and his Wrist strained; the Miller broke his Arm; and the Miller's Man had his Scull so fractured that his Life in despaired of. Thomas Gray to Horace Walpole, 6 Oct.: Covent Garden has given me a sort of surfeit of Mr Rich and his cleverness, for I was at [cg] when the machine broke t'other night; the house was in amaze for above a minute, and I dare say a great many in the galleries thought it very desterously performed, and that they screamed as naturally as heart could wish, till they found it was no jest, by their calling for surgeons, of whom several luckily happened to be in the pit. I stayed to see the poor creatures brought out of the house, and pity poor Mrs Buchanan not a little, whom I saw put into a chair in such a fright that as she is big with child, I question whether it may not kill her.-Horace Walpole's Correspondence with Thomas Gray, I, 113-14

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never Acted before. [By John Hewitt.] Preface to edition of 1737: This Comedy made it's Appearance under many Disadvantages:...It was read for the first Time to the Performers, Tuesday the 15th, and acted Monday the 21st. Mrs Giffard, who had been Ill the Whole Season, undertook the Character of Lady Betty Manly, but finding herself indisposed, returned the Part on Thursday Evening. It was then given to Mrs Hamilton, who on Saturday about one in the Afternoon declared she could not do it unless it was cut, which the Nature of that Part not admitting, there was a Necessity to ask the Favour of Miss Hughes to undertake it, who with a great deal of good Nature, studied and played it perfect, tho' at so short a Warning

Event Comment: Benefit J. Roberts, Yates, Mrs Mullart. Written by Mr Durfey. [Tickets for Mrs Marshall and Miss Ferguson also taken.

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Mills. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality

Event Comment: Tickets deliver'd out by Richard Neale and the Widow Dupre will be taken. [Mrs Walter formerly Mrs Bellamy.

Event Comment: At the Great Theatrical Booth, Bowling Green. By Permission. Benefit Laguerre and Boaman. By a Company from the Theatres-Royal, for their Diversion, a Concert...gratis, etc. Boxes 3s. 6d. First Gallery 1s. 6d. Upper Gallery 1s. 6 p.m. Daily Advertiser lists Miss Hippisley for Miss Prue in mainpiece and for Kitty in afterpiece, and Mrs Yates for Melissa. In the London Daily Post and General Advertiser bill Mrs Dunstall doubles two roles

Event Comment: Paid Mrs Ewin for a Hoop Petty Coat for Mrs Granier 14s. Receipts: #166 12s. 6d

Event Comment: [The Gentlewoman who played Polly was probably Mrs Chambers. See 25 Nov.]

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Hamilton. Mainpiece: Not acted these 16 years. Ladies send sevants by 3 o'clock. Mrs Hamilton is obliged to change her Farce on account of Miss Brent's indisposition. Receipts: #85 10s. 6d. in cash, plus #161 1s. from tickets (Boxes 230; Pit 481; Gallery 314). Total income #246 11s. 6d. Charges #64 5s. Paid Stede a bill for writing #10 13s. 6d. Paid Mr Long for 3 dozen drums #2 14s. [To the house charges this season Rich adds extras: candles (wax) #1 5s.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Dyer, Miss Helm, Mrs Viviez, Mrs Leppie. Tickets delvier'd out by Redman, Chapman, and others will be taken. Receipts #23 14s. 6d. plus 1!2 value of tickets. @Tickets Mrs Dyer Box 8@Pit 35@Gallery 29@Value #10 3s.@1!2 Value #5 1s. 6d.@Tickets Miss Helm Box 3@Pit 20 Gallery 20@Value #7 5s.@1!2 Value #3 12s. 6d.@Tickets Mrs Viviez Box 15@Pit 42@Gallery 71@Value #17 3s.@1!2 Value #8 11s. 6d.@Tickets Mrs Leppie Box 6@Pit 38@Gallery 34@Value #10 12s.@1!2 Value #5 6s.@Tickets Redman Box -@Pit 40@Gallery 44@Value #9 16s.@1!2 Value #4 18s.@Tickets Chapman Box 52@Pit 150@Gallery 79@Value 43 8s.@1!2 Value #21 14s.@Tickets Jarvis Box 3@Pit 77@Gallery 55@Value #18 8s.@1!2 Value #9 14s.@Tickets Cockayne Box 2@Pit 19@Gallery 7@Value #4 1s.@1!2 Value #2 6d.@Tickets Dumay Box 17@Pit 31@Gallery 36@Value #12 10s.@1!2 Value #6 5s.@Tickets Mrs Granier Box -@Pit 18@Gallery 16@Value #4 6s.@1!2 Value #2 3s.@Tickets Miss Davis Box 23@Pit 27@Gallery 13@Value #11 2s.@1!2 Value #5 11s. (Gratis)@Tickets Paddock Box 1@Pit 24@Gallery 26@Value #6 9s.@1!2 Value #3 4s. 6d.@Tickets Hitchcock Box 17@Pit 42@Gallery 3@Value #10 17s.@1!2 Value #5 8s. 6d. (Gratis)@Total Box 147@Pit 573@Gallery 433@Value #166@1!2 Value #83 Money #23 14s. 6d.@#106 14s. 6d. #9 12s.; Paid Blackmore a bill for the theatre, #71 12s. 6d.; A Bill for Rich #30 0s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Hamilton. Mainpiece: Not acted in 10 years. [See 16 Jan. 1753.] Afterpiece: By Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Ladies send servants by 3 o'clock. Receipts: #56 16s. plus #154 13s. from tickets (Box 203; Pit 514; Gallery 268) (Account 8ook). Charges: #64 5s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire, Afterpiece: By Desire. [Mrs Copin's name spelled Copen until 12 Nov.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pritchard. Part of Pit will be laid into the boxes

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Yates. Parts of Pit laid into Boxes. Afterpiece: By Particular Desire

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Poitier. Afterpiece: Alter'd from Addison. The Music entirely new set by Mr Arnold. [Original three acts reduced to two.] To be performed for this night only. Charges #75 14s. [Profit to Mrs Thompson #59 7s. 6d. plus #48 9s. from tickets (Box 135; Pit 98) (Account Book). As indicated by the name Mrs Thompson in the Account Book, Miss Poitier was already married by this time, although she does not appear in the Bills under the name Mrs Thompson until 16 Sept. 1767. She was first married to Vernon, the singer at Drury Lane.] Receipts: #135 1s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Redman, Dumai, Mrs Viviez, Mrs Naylor. Charges #68 3s. 6d. [Deficit to each beneficiary #6 11s. 10 1!2d. covered by income from tickets: Redman #27 14s. (Box 19; Pit 81; Gallery 108); Dumay #56 10s. (Box 97; Pit 141; Gallery 111); Mrs Viviez #95 13s. (Box 162; Pit 187; Gallery 271); Mrs Naylor #43 19s. (Box 56; Pit 125; Gallery 112).] (Account Book). Receipts: #41 11s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clive. Part of Pit laid into Boxes

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bellamy. Mainpiece: Never acted there. Thomas and Sally oblig'd to be deferr'd on account of Indisposition of Mrs Pinto (playbill). Charges #64 5s. balance to Mrs Bellamy #62 15s. plus #110 8s. in tickets (Box 293; Pit 231) (Account Book). Receipts: #127 (Account Book)