Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Newton, box-keeper. As Newton superintends the whole Performance of the Play, Farce and Interlude, the greatest care will be taken to gratify the taste of a most generous Public. Tickets to be had of Mrs Newton at the Seven Houses

Event Comment: Benefit for Walker. Mainpiece: Not acted these 30 years [not acted since 4 Oct. 1722], wrote by Mrs Ccntlivre. Afterpiece: Never performed there. The doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30. Ladies are requested to send their servants by five o'clock to keep places. Tickets to be had of Walker, the Globe, Pall-mall

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Yates [who is named in the Account-Book, but not on the playbill]. Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. Monody: Not performed these 3 years [performed 28 Mar. 1781]. With Vocal and Instrumental Music [by Thomas Linley Sen.]. Receipts: #187 10s. 6d. (136/2/0; 51/7/0; 0/1/6; tickets: none listed) (charge: #76 14s. 9d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Siddons [who had 1st acted Zara at Liverpool, 21 Oct. 1776]. Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. Part of the Pit will be laid into Boxes. To prevent Confusion Ladies are desired to send their Servants by Half past Four o'clock. Receipts: #329 16s. 6d. (154/17/0; 3/4/6; 0/0/0; tickets: 171/15/0) (charge: #108 17s. 4d.)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Jones, Stageldoir, Newbold, Powell, Shaw, Pemberton, Dale, Smith [Account-Book adds: Mills], Miss Hale, Mrs Heard, Miss Tidswell will be admitted. Receipts: #229 17s. (18/11; 7/16; 0/15; tickets: 202/15)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With new Dresses and Decorations. "[Miss Wallis] does not seem to have chosen any particular model to govern her acting, like most of the female candidates of late years, who have generally founded their manner upon the style of Mrs Siddons" (London Chronicle, 9 Oct.). Receipts: #228 1s. 6d. (224.5.0; 3.16.6)

Event Comment: Benefit Kennedy and Miss Smith. [Prices 3s., 2s., 1s.] Tickets at Kennedy's, No. 2 Lambeth St.; at Miss Smith's, next door but One to the Old Playhouse in Ayliffe St.; King Harry's Head, Red Lyon St., and at the Taphouse of the Wells

Event Comment: Benefit for Smith. No building on stage. Tickets sold at the doors will not be admitted. Ladies send servants by Three. Tickets to be had and places to be taken of Smith in Duke St., York Buildings, and of Crudge at the Stage Door

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. L. C. 5@139, p. 125, lists it for 3 March, but as this date falls on Sunday, it is probably an error in dating. The play was licensed on 22 May 1667. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke's playhouse...and I in and find my wife and Mrs Hewer, and sat by them and saw The English Princesse, or Richard the Third; a most sad, melancholy play, and pretty good; but nothing eminent in it, as some tragedys are; only little Mis. Davis did dance a jig after the end of the play, and there telling the next day's play; so that it come in by force only to please the company to see her dance in boy's clothes; and, the truth is, there is no comparison between Nell's dancing the other day at the King's house in boy's clothes and this, this being infinitely beyond the other. Downes (p. 27): Wrote by Mr Carrol, was Excellently well Acted in every Part;...Gain'd them an Additional Estimation, and the Applause from the Town, as well as profit to the whole Company

Event Comment: Benefit Hill and Mrs Hill, the late Miss Anderson

Event Comment: Benefit James, Mrs James, Goodall. Afterpiece: By Desire

Event Comment: Mainpiece By Particular Desire. Tickets delivered out by Mrs Ridout for The Fair Penitent will be taken

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Woffington. Mainpiece: Not acted these 30 years. Afterpiece: Not acted these 5 years. For the better accommodation of the ladies, the stage will be enclosed and formed into Front and Side Boxes, where servants will be allowed to keep Places. Ladies are desired to send Servants by 3 o'clock. Charges: #60

Event Comment: Benefit for Holtom, Miss Cockayne, Crudge (Housekeeper), Miss Young, and others. Tickets deliver'd for Jervais, Mrs Gwinn, and Madam Huette will be taken

Event Comment: Benefit for Howard and Mrs Lampe. Afterpiece: A Burlesque Opera not performed these 10 years [see 30 April 1742], being the sequel to the Dragon of Wantley. Music composed by the late Mr Lampe

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Phillips. No building on the Stage

Event Comment: Benefit for Costollo and Ballard (Treasurer). Last time of performing the Mainpiece this season. Tickets sold at the doors will not be taken. [See T. Wilkinson Memoirs, I, 117-19 on Mrs Woffington's illness and inability to play Gertrude.

Event Comment: Benefit for the Lying In Hospital, Aldersgate St. Receipts: #76 15s. Income from Tickets #80 11s. (boxes 114; pit 273; gallery 111). Charges #84 (Account Book). Tomorrow the First Part of King Henry IV. [A long plea for attendance at this performance appeared in the Public Advertiser: "It affords me the greatest satisfaction when I peruse your paper, and find so many advertisements for charitable Benefits at the Theatres; which must greatly add to the Entertainment of the Stage, when we are sensible that the profits are to be appropriated towards the relief and support of the Indigent and distress'd; for the refief of whom, it must (at the same time it gives us secret pleasure) raise the astonishment of foreigners to see so many charitable piles raise their benevolent roofs in and about this great Metroplis. Amongst which I must beg leave to recommend to the Public, the City of London Lying In Hospital in Aldersgate Street (for the Benefit of which the Play of the Conscious Lovers will be performed this evening at Covent Garden); whose charitable doors have been opened for the relief of a much greater Number since the late dearth of Provisions, than its Annual Income (being supported by voluntary contributions) can possibly support, without further aid from the Public." The plea continues by emphasizing the need for expert and tender care for pregnant women, and by pointing out the satisfaction British sailors will have in knowing their wives may be delivered in this hospital.] [The Occasional Prologue (Written by Mr Lockman, Secretary to the Society of Free British Fisheries) was published in the Public Advertiser on 16 Dec.: @"Not sweeter Joy the wond'ring Indian feels,@When his far dazzling Glory Sol reveals@Than warms my heart at this auspicious Sight,@The splendid Audience of this cheerful night."@ Much emphasis on the misery of child-bearing, yet the need for a large population "to a commercial land." Also included was the Epilogue, by Lockman, "Intended for Mrs Hamilton," ending, "May each youth, here, breathe Bevil's gen'rous flame@Each virgin merit Indiana's fame."

Event Comment: Account Book: Receipts: #224 10s. 6d. Paid Ridout 1!3 of the surplus above the House Charge of #80 (#48, 3s. 6d.). Paid Mr Finny in full of the New Building pursuant to an agreement, #131 8s. [Two New Renters came in for 1 share each: Mr Lacam and Mrs Lacam.] Paid out #25 14s. to shareholders of 43 new shares for the Oratorios: By Rent of New Shares for the Oratorios at 2 shillings per share @No. Shares No. Nights Interest@9 10 #9@1 9 #0 18s.@4 8 #3 4s.@1 7 #0 14s.@8 6 #4 16s.@1 5 #0 10s.@14 4 #5 12s.@1 3 #0 6s.@3 2 #0 12s.@1 1 #0 2s.@Total 43 58 #25 14s.

Event Comment: Benefit for Costollo, Mrs Pitt, Stede. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. No Building on Stage. Tickets sold at the door will not be admitted

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs and Miss Vincent

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particula9 Desire. Paid Mrs Lessingham on account of her salary #50 (Account Book). Receipts: #148 3s

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Green. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire

Event Comment: Paid Mr Preston for Men's cloaths #3 3s.; Mrs Smith (singer) per order #20. Receipts: #205 14s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; B 3, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Prologue by the Hon. Richard Fitzpatrick (Public Advertiser, 3 Aug. 1781)]: With a Procession. [This was included in all subsequent performances. For the Sea Fight see 20 Nov.] With New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. The Scenery designed by DeLoutherbourg, and executed under his direction. The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [same for rest of season, except on 1 May 1780]. "The House was so crowded that there were many disturbances, one so great that Smith when he had nearly finished 'To be or not to be' was obliged to leave the Stage, and when the noise subsided, to return and begin the soliloquy again... As The Critic took up two hours and a half in performance, it must of necessity be considerably shortened" (Morning Chronicle, 1 Nov.). "The scene of the battle with the Armadav [was] executed in the most masterly manner. The Motion of the sea, the engaging of the ships, and the destruction occasioned by the fire-ships were happily contrived and accurately represented" (London Chronicle, 1 Nov.). Account-Book, 9 Nov.: Paid R. B. Sheridan on Acct. of Critic #320. Receipts: #241 19s. 6d. (222.11.0; 19.3.6; 0.5.0)