Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Receipts: #87 10s. 6d. (Account Book). [Barry paid his one third of surplus of receipts above #80 house Charges: #2 10s.

Event Comment: Receipts: #113 6s. 6d. Paid Barry his one third of surplus above the #80 House Charges: #11 2s. 2d. Paid Wm. Churchman a bill being expences with Mr Fielding, Constables, &c. at the Blakney's Head, #7 3s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Receipts: #122 7s. 6d. Paid Barry his his one third of surplus above the #80 House Charges: #14 2s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Receipts: #109 9s. 6d. Paid Barry his one third surplus above the #80 House Charges: #9 16s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Half past 4 went into the first Gallery to see Barry do Othello. Holland is the best Iago we have (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Benefit for Steevens. Othello Advertis'd. Deferr'd. Mr Barry Ill (Cross Diary)

Event Comment: Benefit for J. Aickin. Distress'd Mother deferred. Barry Ill. Mr J. Aickin did not play (Winston MS 10). Tickets deliver'd for the Distress'd Mother will be taken

Event Comment: Eleventh and Last time of performing Mainpiece this season. Afterpiece: By Particular Desire. Othello and The Irish Widow, to have been performed this evening for Mr Barry's Benefit, oblig'd to be deferr'd till further notice (playbill). Mr Barry being Ill his Benefit which was to have been this Night is oblig'd to be deferr'd (Hopkins Diary). [So, according to Hopkins, the profits went to the house.] Receipts: #171 19s. 6d. To the Public Advertiser: Sir, I spent an agreeable evening lately with a Country Friend at the Primitive Puppet Show, and was not displeased at the ridicule pointed at the dull, spiritless stuff, which composes modern Sentimental Comedy. I was entertained too with the manner in which some of the Actors were taken off; But I cannot think mimicry worthy to furnish an Evening Entertainment for a Polite British Audience, or suited to the happy ridicule and pointed wit of Aristophanes. The old Roman comedy, as it was called, was designed for nobler purposes: it was directed to improve the head and mend the heart. The keen manly satire of that Comedy was pointed at Upstart, Braggart, Vice, and to expose the dangerous unfeeling craft of innocent Villainy, or to use the words of Mr Pope--Brand the bold front of shameless, guilty man. Such was, and such ought to be, the salutary Direction of Wit, and Satire by exhibiting characters in their genuine colours, when the mask, which disguises and conceals them from the eyes of the Weak the Credulous, and the Ignorant, is drawn off. The words of Horace are--Detrabere et pellam, mitidus qua quisque per ora Cederet, introrsum turpis. Yours, Dramaticus. Poetry for the Public Advertiser. Epigram on the New Tragedy Alonzo. @No wonder that each female voice@Resounds Alonzo's praise;@A sure foundation of Applause,@The crafty Author lays.@ @Against the Virtue of his Wife@A Husband, if he's wise@According to the Gallant HOME,@Should not believe his eyes.

Event Comment: Benefit for the Establishment of a Fund, for the Relief of Performers and others retiring from the Theatre. Mr Barry still continues indisposed. Afterpiece: The LAST time of performing it. [The call for this afterpiece must have been remarkable, supposed to closed 6 Nov. it was continued "by desire" on the 24 Nov. on Dec. 1, 8, 15, and 19.

Event Comment: Benefit for Webster. Mr Barry being ill, the tragedly of King Lear oblig'd to be deferr'd. [A comment in Lloyd's Evening Post for 29 Feb. refers to an incident in cg this evening: "A fellow who sat on the sixth row of the Upper Gallery...Threw a Keg (which he had brought full of liquor into the House) over the Gallery front. It fell upon a lady's head, who sat in that part of the Pit which was railed into the Boxes, but the Lady's hair being dress'd in high ton, the artifical mountain luckily prevented the mischief that otherwise might have been occasioned....The fellow who threw the cask was carried to the Public Office, in Bow Street, and from thence committed to Tothill Fields, Bridewell. As the custom of throwing mugs, bottles, apples, &c. from the galleries of the theatres is equally as wanton and wicked and is frequently the cause of great mischief, it is thought the present culprit will made an example of" (Quoted in Hampden, Journal).

Event Comment: Benefit for Barrymore and Miss Field. Receipts: #165 19s. (32/17/0; 15/17/6; 2/10/6; tickets: 114/14/0) (charge: #107 13s. 6d.)

Event Comment: [Maria Macklin wrote her father (13 March 1773): Smith has rais'd such a fury in the Town, owing to Colman's having refus'd Mrs Yates to play for him, that last Saturday [6 March] being the fifth night of Alzuma, when the play ought to have begun, the Audience made a most violent noise, called for Colman, insisted that the play should not begin till he was found & the reasons given why Mrs Yates was not suffered to play for Smith. In vain did Bensley endeavor frequently to speak and tell them that Colman was not to be found. The still continued hissing and roaring, and this last till past seven o'clock. Dagge and Harris were behind in a dreadful consternation least the house should be demolished, of which indeed it was in some danger. At last they said something must be said to quiet them, when Smith in the confusion ran on and told them that the managers had consented Mrs Yates should play for him. Then they sent him off to tell them that his day must be settled whenever he thought proper, to give her time to come here. He went off and made them fix it for the 19th of April, went on and told them it was settled. They then insisted that Smith should tell them whether everything was settled to his entire satisfaction. He assured them it was. The play was then ordered to begin. I am told they have given him up his articles for three years, at his desire. Several Gentlemen went round into the Hall and sent for Smith, telling him his private quarrels with the managers were nothing to them. That if Mrs Yates play'd they should be glad to see her, but that as she was not in the company it was not right in him to disturb the play and hinder them from seeing it. He expostulated with them and told his story. The Town rings with this affair. Various are the opinions. Some think it is her plan to get once more upon the stage, and they say there is a most powerful Party making to oppose her & that she shall not play that night. Others say Colman is very wrong to hinder her. I find she entirely built upon your playing for me, and there has been a very impatient card in the Ledger to Colman insisting upon his telling the town why Mrs Yates was hindered to play, and why Mr Macklin had any more right to be suffered to come over so long unmolested to play for Miss Macklin? But that everybody sees thru'....Colman I am certain has not a thing against your playing for me. He seems rather to wish for your coming....I do not think the Yeats's will be engag'd tho' the Town rail much at Mrs Hartley & Miss Miller, and sure enough they are bitter bad....On Tuesday I shall send you the fate of Dr Goldsmith's Comedy, which comes out on Monday next. It is call'd the Mistakes of a Night....Foote's Rary Shew has been rehears'd three mornings but he got no money, so he shews off again at night instead-but it does not fill violently. Alonzo goes on but Barry is too ill to play. The great support of it is Mrs Barry's acting." (Harvard Theatre Collection, A.L.S.)] Receipts: #196 19s

Event Comment: Publish'd at 3s. The Actor, in One Pocket Volume. A treatise on the art of playing, interspersed with Observations on the performances of Garrick, Quin, Barry, Berry, Macklin, Ryan, Havard, Woodward, Foote, &c; Mrs Cibber, Mrs Pritchard, Mrs Woffington, Mrs Ward, Mrs Elmy, Mrs Green, Mrs Clive, Miss Bellamy, &c. Also some anecdotes of Betterton, Booth and Wilkes and other celebrated performers; together with occasional remarks upon managers and audiences, and upon the principal Tragedies, Comedies, Masques and Farces. Printed for R. Griffiths in Paul's Church-yard. Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: This day publish'd at 3s. The Actor; or, A Treatise on the Art of Playing. A New Work written by the Author of the former [See dl 30 Oct. 1753]; and adapted to the present state of the Theatres. Containing impartial Observations on the Performance, Manner, Perfections, and Defects of: Garrick, Barry, Woodward, Foote, Havard, Palmer, Ryan, Berry, Mrs Cibber, Mrs Pritchard, Mrs Woffington, Mrs Gregory, Mrs Clive, Mrs Green, Miss Nossiter, Mrs Bellamy, &c., &c., in their capital parts. Printed for R. Griffiths

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Music [to afterpiece] by Barthelemon. I often go to both theatres, have seen Garrick and Mrs Yates, who are the first in this theatrical sphere. The former has hitherto [i.e., this season] appeared only in comedy, --his manner, his humour, and his judgment are not to be equall'd. The adoration he meets with from the English is equal to his merit. His every motion they attend to, and every turn of his eye seems to transport them. Mrs Yates [at Covent Garden] has much tragic merit. Her low voice is very tuneful, her feeling great, her action peculiarly graceful and her figure uncommonly fine. She has more power than Mrs Dancer (at Drury Lane] and more variety than Mrs Fitz-Henry, tho' less strength and compass. On the whole she is superior to the former and inferior to the latter. Barry and Mrs Dancer are engag'd here (MS Letter from Henry Grattan to Cornet Broome giving his first impressions of living in London, 27 Oct. 1767, in Folger Library). Neville MS Diary: Went into the Pit to see As You Like It a second time. Reddish did Orlando for the 1st time. He is a pretty good player. End Act I, Hearts of Oak. The Entertainment was the new Farce called a Peep Behind the Curtain. Glib by King who is the author. The piece is not unentertaining, whatever other merit it may have. The Prologue and an Address to the Town by way of Epilogue, are spoken by Mr King, the music by Barthelemon

Event Comment: The United Company. There is uncertainty concerning this date; it appears on Luttrell's copy (Huntington Library) of the separately printed Prologue and Epilogue, and the date may represent the time of his purchase rather than a date of performance. The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 141-45. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 39-40): All the preceding Plays, being the chief that were Acted in Dorset-Garden, from November 1671, to the Year 1682; at which time the Patentees of each Company United Patents; and by so Incorporating the Duke's Company were made the King's Company, and immediately remov'd to the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane. Upon this Union, Mr Hart being the Heart of the Company under Mr Killigrew's Patent never Acted more, by reason of his Malady; being Afflicted with the Stone and Gravel, of which he Dy'd some time after: Having a Sallary of 40 Shillings a Week to the Day of his Death. But the Remnant of that Company; as, Major Mohun, Mr Cartwright, Mr Kynaston, Mr Griffin, Mr Goodman, Mr Duke Watson, Mr Powel, Sr, Mr Wiltshire, Mrs Corey, Mrs Bowtell, Mrs Cook, Mrs Montfort. [Joined the new company]. Note, now Mr Monfort and Mr Carlile, were grown to the Maturity of good Actors. The mixt Company then Reviv'd the several old and Modern Plays, that were the Propriety of Mr Killigrew, as Rule a Wife, and have a Wife: Mr Betterton Acting Michael Perez; Don Leon, Mr Smith, Cacofogo, Mr Cartwright: Margaretta, Mrs Barry: Estiphania, Mrs Cook. Next, @The Scornful Lady.@The Plain Dealer.@The Mock Astrologer.@The Jovial Crew.@The Beggars Bush.@Bartholomew-Fair.@The Moor of Venice.@Rollo.@The Humorous Lieutenant.@The Double Marriage.@ With divers others. George Powell, Preface to The Treacherous Brothers (1690): The Time was, upon the uniting of the Two Theatres, that the Reviveing of the old stock of Plays, so ingrost the study of the House, that the Poets lay dorment; and a new Play cou'd hardly get admittance, amongst the more precious pieces of Antiquity, that then waited to walk the Stage. Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, I, 95-96): I shall content myself with telling you that Mohun and Hart now growing old [for, above thirty Years before this Time, they had severally born the King's Commission of Major and Captain in the Civil Wars), and the younger Actors, as Goodman, Clark, and others, being impatient to get into their Parts, and growing intractable, the Audiences too of both Houses then falling off, the Patentees of each, by the King's Advice, which perhaps amounted to a Command, united their Interests and both Companies into one, exclusive of all others in the Year 1682. This Union was, however, so much in favour of the Duke's Company, that Hart left the Stage upon it, and Mohun survived not long after

Event Comment: Play By Particular Desire. Last time of acting the Mainpiece this season. The Play of the Lover's Melancholy, and the Farce of the Club of Fortune Hunters, which were to have been acted this evening, for the Benefit of Mrs Macklin, are deferr'd till Thursday the 28th, on account of the Indisposition of Mr Barry; when tickets deliver'd out for the 22nd instant will be taken. Tomorrow, King Lear for the benefit of the suffers by the late fire. Receipts: #28 (Cross); #24 16s. 6d. (Powel)