Event Comment: Paid for 2 extra Flutes & Guitars (29 ultimo incl.) #2 5s. (Treasurer's Book). [This month was published Bell's edition of Shakespeare's acting plays, 'as performed at the Theatres Royal in London, requlated from the Prompt Books of each House, by permission of the managers, with notes critical and illustrative by the author of the Dramatic Censors, 5 vols. 12 mo. Price 15s."] Receipts: #246 6s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Oratorio: Written by the late Dr Hawksworth. Set to music by Stanley. Books of the Oratorio may be had of Mr Condell, in Cross St., Bow St., Covent Garden, and at the theatre the night of the performance. Price 1s. [This night Wm. Kenrick delivered his tenth, and apparently last, lecture on The School of Shakespeare. It was on King Lear, and very little could be said in favor of any of his remarks on the passages he selected...[he closed by] presenting the audience an act from Falstaff's Wedding." Monthly Miscellany (April 1774, p. 191), which had reviewed all of his lectures, had commented upon the increasing popularity of them as evidenced by the numbers attending, and presented an engraving of Kenrick in action before his audience.

Event Comment: By George Saville Carey at the Great Room, Panton St., Haymarket. To begin at 8:00 p.m. Price 2s. 6d. [Second night. This was repeated numerous times during the summer season, 28, 30 July, 2, 4 Aug., &c.

Event Comment: A drunken man and a livery servant were both very troublesome in the first gallery [according to an account in the Morning Chronicle, 11 Dec., which continued]: It is a very great insult to respectable citizens and gentlemen of moderate fortunes, who from principles of economy choose to sit in the first gallery, that they admit too men in liveries. Their prices of admission have been raised within these thirty years, and every art practised for interest of the managers; and in these times, when every necessary and convenience of life is considerably enhanced, it is a matter of prudence in persons of the middle rank of life to prefer the gallery to the pit. But this is no reason why livery servants should be allowed to place themselves by the wives and daughters of private gentlemen and reputable tradesmen, to whom they often behave with great insolence and indecency. [It is desirable] to know why a constable does not make his appearance in the back row of the first, as well as the second, gallery, being frequently as much wanted in the one as the other (John Hampden Diary, p. 122)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mattocks. [Interest in this Wild Beast in the masquerade in the afterpiece seems to have lasted only throught the second performance.] Full Prices

Event Comment: Nothing under the Full Prices will be taken

Event Comment: Benefit for Mattocks. N.B. Half Price will be taken to the latter account [see 25 March]. Being positively the last time of performing the Mainpiece this season

Event Comment: Benefit for Leoni. Last Time of performing the Mainpiece this season. N.B. Half Price will be taken to the latter Account

Event Comment: Benefit for Hull. N.B. Half Price will be taken to the latter account

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2(?), by James Messink and Carlo Antonio Delpini. Not in Larpent MS; synopsis of action in London Chronicle, 26 Nov.]: The Scenery, Machinery, &c. painted new by Carver, Greenwood and Garvey. The Overture and the rest of the Music composed new by Fisher. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Account-Book, 3 Feb. 1778: Paid Fisher for composing songs, &c. in The Tempest [see 27 Dec. 1776], and other pieces, as per bill, #131 11s. Receipts: #190 16s. (182.18; 7.18)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan; music by Thomas Linley Sen.]: With entire new Scenery, Machinery, Dresses, and Decorations. The Scenery designed by DeLoutherbourg, and executed under his Direction. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Receipts: #257 19s. (249.16; 8.3)

Event Comment: Creditors of Mr Taylor are requested to meet the Trustees this Day, at One o'clock, at the Bedford Arms, Covent Garden. The Proprietor having, upon a certain Ground, granted the use of the House for the Benefit of the Performers, during the Remainder of the Season, there will be an Opera on Thursday next. [It was cancelled.] Several Persons of Fashion having generously raised a new Subscription for the Relief of the Performers, they take this opportunity of returning them their most cordial thanks. The Price of the new Subscription is Five Guineas each Subscriber, for 12 Benefit Nights, the Money to be paid into the hands of Mr Drummond, Banker, at Charing-Cross. [On 27 May a concert was held at the Pantheon for the benefit of the singers and dancers who had lately belonged to the King's Theatre, in which they all participated.]

Event Comment: Books of the Ballets may be had at the Theatre, price 6d. Public Advertiser, 8 Dec.: As to the Dances, such exquisite perfection was never seen in England before, because there certainly never was before seen such a band of transcendent Dancers simultaneously subsisting on the same Stage . . . They were almost equally admirable. Thus, if Vestris and Theodore were most surprising, Lepicq and Rossi were more touching, Slingsby more exhibiting

Event Comment: Benefit for Price and Watts. [The above is an advance notice on playbill of 19 July.]

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time: P 1, by Roger Johnston. Not in Larpent MS; synopsis of action in World, 28 Dec.)]: The new Scenes designed and executed by Greenwood. Books of the Songs with a Description of the Pantomime [C. Lowndes, 1790] to be had at the Theatre. The Pantomime being partly compiled, Half Price will be taken. Receipts: #273 5s. (234.17.0; 35.11.6; 2.16.6)

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. "The crowd and the tumult at the doors of the Theatre last Wednesday [raised the question] why the Box and Pit passages, which were the same last year, are now separated. The answer is because at the Opera, the Boxes and the Pit are for the same price and company; at the Playhouse they are different in both respects. Repeated notices were sent by Kemble both to those on foot and in carriages that the house was full; and the doors were actually closed before the house was really filled in the hope of dispersing the crowd--but they were a second time forced open" (Morning Chronicle, 7 Jan.). Receipts: #582 8s. 6d. (552.15.6; 26.14.0; 2.19.0, being the largest amount received at this theatre during its occupancy by the dl company)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time: P 1, by Roger Johnston. Not in Larpent MS; synopsis of action in World, 28 Dec.)]: The new Scenes designed and executed by Greenwood. Books of the Songs with a Description of the Pantomime [C. Lowndes, 1790] to be had at the Theatre. The Pantomime being partly compiled, Half Price will be taken. Receipts: #273 5s. (234.17.0; 35.11.6; 2.16.6)

Event Comment: The Public are respectfully informed that, a sufficient Profit being allowed to the Persons who sell Plays and Books of Songs in the Theatre, those Persons are forbidden to demand for such Plays or Books of Songs more than the Price marked thereon, upon pain of dismission from their employ. [Afterpiece in place of The Pannel, advertized on playbill of 27 Dec.] Powell: Messrs Danby & Fisher absent from this Evening's Performance, Ill. Measure for Measure rehearsed at 10; New Ballet at 12. Receipts: #208 8s. (167.4.6; 39.13.6; 1.10.0)

Event Comment: Ode: Written in Honour of St. Cecilia, by Dryden, and set to Music by Handel. Among the Instrumental Performers are G. Ashley, leader of the band, Mara, Sarjant, C. Ashley, Boyce, Bridgetower, Harvey, Parkinson, Taylor, Nix, two Flacks, Dresler, Gwilliam, Shutze, Price, I. Sharp, W. Sharp, M. Sharp, J. Sharp, Archer, Cobham, two Munros, Wood, Cornish, Purney, Leffler, Woodham, Cantelo, Skillern, Franki, Simpson, Jenkinson, &c. Organ-J. Ashley. Double Drums (used at Westminster Abbey)-R. Ashley. The Chorusses will be numerous and complete. The Whole under the Direction of Ashley. Boxes 6s. Pit 3s. 6d. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be had of Brandon at the Office in Hart-street. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout oratorio season]. Books of the Performance (with the Imprimatur of H. Macleish) to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Composed by G. F. Handel. Among the Instrumental Performers: C. Ashley, Sarjant, Wm. Parke, Boyce, R. Ashley, Bridgtower, Pinto, Parkinson, Lavenu. the Flacks, Taylor, Mackintosh, Wm. Ware, Dresler, Francis, Gwilliam, Nicks, the Munros, Archer, I. Sharp, W. Sharp, M. Sharp, J. Sharp, Betts, Cobham, Jackson, Wood, Coyle, Cornish, Jones, Purney, Leffler, Woodham, Piele, the Cantelos, Skillern, &c. Organ-J. Ashley. Double Drums (used at Westminster-Abbey)-Jenkinson. The Chorusses will be numerous and complete; the whole under the direction of Ashley. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 precisely [same throughout oratorio season]. Books of the Performance (with the Imprimatur of E. Macleish) to be had at the Theatre, price 6d. Places for the Boxes to be had of Brandon, at the Stage-Door in Hart-street. Boxes 6s. Pit 3s. 6d. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s

Event Comment: In compliance with the request of several Ladies and Gentlemen, lovers of Handel's music, who find it inconvenient to attend at the beginning of the evening, Mr Ashley informs them that Half Price will be taken at the end of the Second Part

Event Comment: The Rivals [advertised on playbill of 4 Jan.] is obliged to be deferred on account of the indisposition of a principal performer. "There seems to be a perverse and impolitic system introduced of late years in the management of this theatre, in virtue of which certain plays are suffered to remain in a state of slovenly representation, to serve as a kind of stage lumber, on which the manager can immediately lay his hand (confident of a good half-price, from the popularity of his after-piece); he wants something, no matter what, to fill up the intermediate space of time. This is a system, however, which in the event cannot fail to prove equally injurious to the interest of the proprietors, and the gratification of that part of the audience who pay the full amount of admission" (Dramatic Censor, I, 45). Receipts: #188 5s. (102.16; 83.17; 1.12)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Humane Society. A new grand Commemorative Oratorio [1st time; in two parts], as originally performed by Busby, in aid of the Fund for the Naval Pillar, including the new Music [by Busby: Song and Chorus, From where the sun; Song, To thy brave sons; Recitative and Song, Peace to the soul, Around the ever-honoured urn], introduced in the Grand National Concert, performed the 28th of May, at the Opera House. Leader of the Band-Cramer. Organ-Russell. The performance to be conducted by Busby, who will preside at the Piano Forte. Tickets, at playhouse prices, to be had at all the principal music shops...and of Busby, No. 9, China Terrace, Vauxhall Road. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00. "The words [of Part I] are taken entirely from Gray's well-known Pindaric Ode, The Progress of Poesy," with six introductory lines written by John Gretton andthe concluding stanzas by Thomas Dutton; the text of Part II by Gretton (Dramatic Censor, II, 285-86)