Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MD 3, by 
Samuel Birch, adapted from 
Camille; ou, Le Souterrain, by 
Benoit Joseph Marsollier des Vivetieres, and from 
Les Victimes Cloitrees, by 
Jacques Marie Boutet de Monvel; the songs written by 
Thomas John Dibdin.  
Larpent MS 1236; not published.  The playbill states that this was "Taken from the 
German," but 
London Chronicle, 12 Dec., says that its source is the same as that of 
The Captive of Spilburg (see 
dl, 14 Nov.).  An examination of the MSS of these two pieces (
Larpent 1230 and 1236) proves that such is unmistakably the case]: With entire new Scenes, Machinery, Dresses & Decorations.  The Music composed and selected by 
Steibelt and 
Attwood.  The Action of the Chorusaes, Finales, &c. under the Direction of 
Farley, and the Action of the Overture by 
Bologna Jun.  A new Descriptive Overture, composed by Steibelt, on a Plan never before introduced on the English Stage, accompanied by Action.  "The overture is...nothing more than music adapted to pantomime; and, in the present instance, the dumb shew is an unnecessary anticipation of the procession with which the piece opens" (
Monthly Mirror, Dec. 1798, p. 369).  The Scenery painted by 
Richards, 
Phillips, 
Lupino, 
Hollogan, 
Blackmore, &c.  The Dresses by 
Dick and 
Mrs Egan.  Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre.  Receipts: #338 17s. 6d. (325.14.6; 13.3.0)
                   
                    
                      Performances
                      Mainpiece Title: Laugh When You Can
Afterpiece Title: Albert and Adelaide or The Victim of Constancy
Performance Comment: Principal Characters-Incledon, Fawcett, H. Johnston, Betterton, Townsend, Simmons, Miss Webb (1st appearance), Follett; Miss Wheatley, Miss Walcup, Mrs Whitmore, Mrs Johnson.  [Cast from Songs (T. Rickaby [1798]): Henrico-Incledon; Jocelin-Fawcett [in Songs: Emery (see17981214)]; Albert-H. Johnson; Rudolph-Betterton; Bertolt-Townsend; Gariga-Simmons; Adolphus-Miss Webb; Rosella-Miss Wheatley; Cicely-Miss Walcup; Algonde-Mrs Whitmore; Adelaide-Mrs Johnson; unassigned-Follett; Chorus of Soldiers and Followers in the Black Forest-Oddwell, Clarke, Sawyer, Curties, Little, Thomas, Everett, J. Linton, Smith, Lee, Powers, Lewiss; Chorus of Guards in the Castle-Linton, Gray, Street, Abbot, Kenrick, Silvester, Jones, Fairclough, Tett, Russel.Dance: In afterpiece: Procession and Dance of Swabian Peasants-Blurton, Dyke, Wilde, L. Bologna, T. Cranfield, Platt, Masters, Slape, Ramage, Goodwin, Little, Ms Watts, Ms Iliff, Ms Norton, Ms Castelle, Ms Leserve, Miss Gray, Ms Bologna, Ms Masters, Ms Burnett, Ms Gilbert, Ms Lloyd, Ms Blurton, Ms Ward