Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Mrs J. Brandon, Hawtin, W. Wilde, Bent, Coombs, Wilkins, Hay, Mlle delaCroix will be admitted. Receipts: #442 10s. 6d. (65.0.0; 3.10.0; tickets: 374.0.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Acasto to Murray, but "An apology was made for Murray, who was prevented by illness from playing Acasto, which, at a short notice, was taken by Hull" (True Briton, 14 Oct.).] "This whole of [Mrs Spencer's] performance was marked by such unaffected simplicity that it was almost impossible to consider it as the mere fiction of the scene. This lady is really a great aquisition to the house" (True Briton, ibid). Receipts: #254 6s. 6d. (244.18.6; 9.8.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Follett. Receipts: #309 6s. (66.3.6; 5.13.6; tickets: 237.9.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Fawcett. 3rd piece [DO 2. Larpent MS 1251; not published]: Never acted at a Public Theatre [1st acted privately at Brandenburgh House, Hammersmith, 28 Feb. 1798]; Written by her Serene Highness the Margravine of Anspach. The Music partly by the Margravine, and partly by Sarti, Guglielmi, Paisiello, and Saphio. Grand Overture, La Chasse, by Reeve. The Scenery painted by Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, &c. The Machinery by Sloper. The Dresses by Dick and Mrs Egan. Morning Chronicle, 17 Apr.: Her Serene Highness the Margravine of Anspach having, with unprecedented Kindness and Liberality, lent Mr Fawcett the Manuscript of the above magnificent and interesting Opera, he begs leave to state that nothing shall be wanted on his Part to render it as acceptable to the Public as it was to the Nobility who had the pleasure of seeing it at the Brandenburgh house Theatre. Ibid, 4 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Fawcett, No. 41, Frith-street, Soho. Receipts: #532 6s. 6d. (239.1.6; 2.9.0; tickets: 290.16.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. [Mrs Pollard is identified byMS annotation on Kemble playbill.] Receipts: #141 14s. 6d. (106.16.0; 32.5.6; 2.13.0)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of NOTORIETY, advertised on playbill of 23 Oct.] Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2 , by Mrs Burke. MS: Larpent 992; not published]: With new Music [by Tommaso Giordani (Morning Herald, 25 Oct.)). Scenery, Dresses and Decorations. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #228 0s. 6d. (206/10/6; 21/10/0)

Event Comment: 3rd piece [Ist time; MF 2, attributed to Mrs Rainsford, for whom see Morning Herald, 9 May; London Chronicle, 23 May, states that it was written by "A Lady," but gives no name. MS: Larpent 1025; not published]: The Music composed by Webbe. Receipts: #118 4s. (109/3; 9/1)

Event Comment: [By Mrs Aubert.] Never Acted before. In Daily Courant, 26 May: Never acted before, being unfortunately prevented on Friday last, by the unexpected Arrest of the Person who was to have played the Doctor

Event Comment: Benefit for Lacey & Miss Thomas (Cross). Tickets deliver'd by Clough, G. Burton, and Mrs Addison will be taken. Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mrs Yates being ill, Measure for Measure [announced on playbill of 5 Jan.] is obliged to be deferred. [But it was not acted this season.] Receipts: #137 11s. 6d. (95.7.0; 40.13.6; 1.11.0)

Event Comment: [Mrs Cary is identified in Thespian Magazine, Nov. 1793, p. 311; she was sister to Mrs Gibbs.

Event Comment: [Mrs Higginson, who is identified in European Magazine, Nov. 1799, p. 328, had, as Mrs Cussans, acted previously at Richmond and elsewhere.] 2nd piece: In one act [and in place of The Flitch of Bacon, advertised on playbill of 9 Nov.]. 3rd piece: Representation of the Battle, as 9 Nov. Receipts: #293 17s. 6d. (286.17.6; 7.0.0)

Event Comment: "Mrs Siddons' 'O Jaffier'--'Remember twelve'--'Aye, but that husband trusted her'--and, above all, the narrative of the night with Renault--were given with the most miraculous organs of varied emphasis, modulation, delicacy and propriety . . . Kemble's Jaffier was a perfect performance" (Public Advertiser, 14 Feb.). Receipts: #251 15s. (226/15; 23/6; 1/4; tickets not come in: 0/10)

Event Comment: "Mrs Siddons's timid approach [in Act V] to the home of a friend whom she had robbed of a lover: 'She staggers up to the door, timidly lifts the knocker, releases it as if she had committed a mortal sin, seizes it a second time and--knocks. It is impossible to describe how she knocked, but I shall never forget her in this situation, never forget the tone of her voice in answer to the servant, never the timidity, the anguish of her expression and movements.'" (F. W. von Hassell quoted in J. A. Kelly, 144-45). Receipts: #337 7s. 6d. (321.16.0; 14.6.6; 1.5.0, being the largest amount taken at this theatre, on a night not devoted to a benefit, between 1776 and 4 June of this season, q. v.)

Event Comment: Mrs Mills, a Drury Lane actress, died on this day

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Martyr. 2nd piece [1st time; O 1, by John Wolcot. Larpent MS 770; not published]: Being a Translation from the French Opera of that name [Nina; ou, La Folle par Amour, by Benoit Joseph Marsollier des Vivetieres], now performing at Paris with universal applause. With the original Music [by Nicolas Dalayrac, adapted by William Shield and William Thomas Parke. Two other versions of this opera, both unacted, were published this year: one anonymous, and one by George Monck Berkeley]. Receipts: #300 8s. 6d. (150.0.0; 2.18.0; tickets: 147.10.6)

Event Comment: On Account of Mrs Yates's Indisposition A Trip to Scarborough [announced on playbill of 20 Mar.] is obliged to be deferred. [The playbill retains Mrs Abington as Miss Prue, but "Last Saturday night, Mrs Abington being suddenly taken ill, Mrs Mattocks supplied the Part in Love for Love; and though we will not pretend to put her comic Abilities on a Level with those of Mrs Abington, yet her Performance was exceedingly humourous and entertaining" (Gazetteer, 24 Mar.).] Paid Mrs Abington in lieu of a benefit #200. Receipts: #218 8s. (188.0.0; 28.15.6; 1.12.6)

Event Comment: Paid Lampmen #3 18s.; Tailors #11 2s. 10d.; Mantua Makers #3 14s. 6d.; Carpenters #16 15s. 6d.; Printer [of playbills] #19 5s. 6d. The Hypocrite and Christmas Tale in three Acts was advertised for to-morrow. This Morning at Rehearsal Lacy came and told Sheridan that he could not be off from his Agreement with Mr Langford and Captain Thomson. Sheridan told him, if he did agree, that he would withdraw himself from the Management of the Theatre--accordingly at eight this Evening he sent me with a Letter to Lacy confirming what he told him, and ordered me to receive my orders from Mr L and that he withdrew the Christmas Tale, as he had altered, for a Farce, it was his Property. This put us all into confusion--Sent to Mrs Abington to know if she would play in the Hypocrite, as it was advertised--Her answer was, that she had made her Agreement with Sheridan only, and would play under no other Manager. About twelve at night we got Richard the third settled, and sent Bills accordingly (Hopkins Diary). [For further remarks concerning this situation see 15 Oct.] Receipts: #173 6s

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Colles, the Widow Legg & Miss Kirby. Morning Post, 17 May: Tickets to be had of Miss Kirby, No. 70, Long-acre [others not listed]. Receipts: #225 15s. (37.9.0; 11.11.6; 1.2.6; tickets: 175.120) )charge: #105)