Event Comment: Benefit Mr and Mrs Mullart. Tickets at Mullart's, Crown Court, Russell Street, CG. Receipts: money #20 8s.; tickets #149 15s

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: Benefit Macklin, Mr and Mrs Furnival. Afterpiece: Written by the Author of the Toy Shop

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Giffard. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Part of the Stage will be formed into Side-Boxes. [Tickets at Giffard's Lodgings (Mr Bolney's) in Great Queen Street, near Lincoln's Inn Fields.

Event Comment: Written by Mr Congreve. Tickets delivered out for the 14th will be taken. Benefit Mrs Butler

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: Benefit Mrs Clive. Mainpiece: At the Desire of Several Ladies of Quality. Never acted there before. [Amphitheatre on stage as described 11 March.

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

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Giffard and Mrs Giffard. Mainpiece [by Thomas Baker]: Not acted these 15 years. [See 11 July 1738.] At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Afterpiece: A Farce of Two Acts never performed before, taken from a Comedy of the Celebrated Mr Otway. Tickets to be had of Giffard at No. 11 in Craven's Buildings, Drury Lane, and at the stage door

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Horton. [A "puff" for Leveridge's forthcoming benefit (31 March) in a letter to the General Advertiser, followed by 3 stanzas of verse]: Sir, The Remembrance of the pleasure I have often receiv'd, in a series of years, by hearing Mr Leveridge's Performances on the stage, occasion'd the following Lines: which however artless they are wrote, will I dare say give no offense to the good natur'd part of Mankind. I am your constant reader. T.H.: @I Whilst Garrick justly claims applause,@Old Leveridge humbly sues,@That you'll not quite neglect his cause@Nor now his suit refuse.@Whilst youthful vigor tun'd his voice@With song he rais'd the heart;@To cheer that voice, now chilled with Age@Becomes a noble part.@Then shew that faithful service past@Your thoughts does still employ;@And by your num'rous Presence grac'd@Revive old age with joy.

Event Comment: Benefit for Bencraft and Mrs Hale. Afterpiece: By particular Desire and for that night only. Mainpiece: Written by Congreve

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

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clive. Mainpiece: Written by Colley Cibber. [The Old Maid for 8 May 1756 reviewed this performance of Lethe, or possibly the one with the same cast on 30 April. The reviewer was 'particularly diverted with Mrs Clive's Italian Song, in which this truly humorous actress parodys the Air of the Opera, and takes off the action, of the present favorite female at the Hay-Market, with such exquisite ridicule, that the most zealous partisans of both, I think, must have applauded the comic genius of Mrs Clive, however they might be displeased with this application of it." The reviewer is lukewarm in praise of the "New Character"..."What is there new in a Lord's having Gout, loving a bottle, pretending to taste, or being follow'd by a flatterer?"] Receipts: #210 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Simson Their Son & Daughter (Cross). Receipts: #220 (Cross )

Event Comment: MMrs Clive Ly Wishfort -(bad) Fribble Garrick (Cross). Benefit for Mrs Clive. Part of Pit laid into Boxes Tickets of her in Henrietta St. and of Mr Varney at the Stage Door. Receipts: #310 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Burton and Philips. Mainpiece: At the Particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Not acted these 10 years. [See 18 Dec. 1749.] Music for Afterpiece compos'd by Mr Arne. Tickets deliver'd by Clough, Mossop, Peacop and Mrs Addison will be taken. Receipts: #220 (Cross)

Event Comment: Not performed for 12 years. [See 5 Nov. 1746.] Mossop, Palmer, Miss Macklin, Mrs Davies, Miss Pritchard played parts for first time. Receipts: #100 (Cross).; #114 10s (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bransby and Champness. Tickets deliver'd by Mrs Bradshaw, Miss Hippisley, Mrs Smith, and Mrs Rowe will be taken. Tickets sold at the Doors will not be taken. Receipts: #170 (Cross)

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: MMr Vernon-Macheath, 1st time; Mr Parsons-Filch, Mrs Parsons-Mrs Peachum (Cross Diary). Mr William Parsons came with Mr James Love from Edinburg, and Made his first appearance on the stage in London this evening; He died of an asthma on Tues. 3 February in the severe winter of 1795, and was buried in the churchyard of Lea-Church near Blackheath in Kent; he was in his 60th year (Macmillan [Hopkins MS Notes]). Afterpiece: Not acted these 2 years. [See 19 Oct. 1759.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pritchard

Event Comment: MMrs Love play'd Mrs Peachum very bad. Her fit seem'd a very Aukward Imitation of Mrs Pritchard in the Jealous Wife (Hopkins). Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. No money received at the Stage Door. None returned after the curtain is up. Play to begin exactly at 6 o'clock. Places may be had of Mr Johnston at the Stage Door. Vivat Rex et Regina. [Customary notice, which will not be repeated here, Sept. 15 David Garrick & his Lady set out for Italy from his house in Southampton St. Covent Garden (Winston MS 9). Winston also refers to a Sept. 9 Letter from T. Davies, cg, to the poet Charles Churchill begging he would not introduce so unimportant a person as himself in his Smithfield Rosciad.] Receipts: #248 9s. (Cross Diary)

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

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never acted there. Neville MS Diary: Both theatres opened again with The English Merchant. Went into the Pit of cg. Shuter did Freeport pretty well, but had not that appearance of blunt honesty which Yates has in that character....I like Miss Pope better in Molly than Mrs Mattocks. Mrs Goodman by Mrs Ward, who is a very different figure now from what she was some years ago. Her daughter did Amelia pretty well, but has a stiffiness and an indifferent voice. End Act III, The Irish Lilt-The celebrated dancer Aldridge, Sga Manesiere. Entertainment Harlequin Dr Faustus. I hope this emulation between the 2 Houses will cause exertion. Receipts: #146 8s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: At 5 went into the Pit at Covent Garden to see Mrs Yates do Lady Townly. Yates is an excellent Sir Francis, but Powell does not shine in Lord Townly....The Entertainment was the new comedy in two acts called the Oxonian in Town, with a prologue by Woodward in the character of a student....It being suspected that a number of sharpers whose characters and practices are laid open in this piece, would attempt to damn it tonight (the 3rd of its being Performed) under pretence of its casting odium on the Irish, bills were dispersed in the House during the play vindicating it from any such intention. Woodward was allowed to speak the prologue, but as soon as the curtain drew up catcalls began. When the performers retired, Powell spoke several times, but was not heard. I was told that the author (Mr Colman) desires to know whom he has offended. The Pros were a very great majority, and at last after a contest of better than 1!2 an hour, the victory was over and the piece was performed. I think it contains many good sentiments, and excellent instruction to young men and is not unworthy of Mr Colman. If vice must not be exposed to hatred and contempt, the usefulness of our theatres is at an end. Only I think the Covent Garden pleasures are represented in too favourable a light. When all was over Powell came on the stage and thanked the audience for their generous protection (Neville MS Diary). Receipts: #212 12s. (Account Book)