Event Comment: The Provoked Husband and Rival Candidates was given out for Tuesday. On Sunday Morning Mrs Yates sent word she was ill and could not play--sent to Miss Younge, and she sent word that she was ill in bed--King sent word he had a sore Throat, and could not play--so that we could do no Play but the Committee and Rival Candidates. On Monday the Managers met, but nothing was settled. At twelve o'clock Mrs Baddeley sent word she had a sore Throat, and could not play in the Riv[al] Can[didates] (Hopkins Diary). The Hypocrite and The Christmas Tale are obliged to be deferred. "[Smith] has a good figure, is gentlemanlike, and decent in everything he undertakes. When we allow that, we have said all; he wants both feeling to be affected, and powers to convey his feelings, if he had them. In fine, in spite of all the partiality of his friends, or the ignorant prejudices of those who never judge but at second hand, his performance of Richard was little more than a strong union of judgement and industry, unaided by nature. He should woo genteel Comedy oftener; and not that coy sister of hers, who certainly holds Smith at the point of her lance" (London Magazine, Oct. 1776, p. 511). Receipts: #186 18s. 6d

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Tragedy, acted but once. [See 1 May. N.B. The Account Book states that the bill was altered to The Busy Body and Golden Pippin.] Receipts: #116 8s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: [Afterpiece in 3 acts, altered from Garrick's original 5 acts by Richard Brinsley Sheridan.] The Music composed by Dibdin. With New Dresses. The Scenes, Machines, &c. invented by DeLoutherbourg. The Christmas Tale reduced to three Acts (by R. B. Sheridan esq.) was performed for the first time as a Farce--was received with very great Applause--it is too long, and must be shortened (Hopkins Diary). Public Advertiser, 22 Oct. 1776: This Day at Four o'Clock will be published A Christmas Tale (1s.) [For Baker see 28 Sept.] Receipts: #241 14s

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 12 years. [See 24 Jan. 1758.] Prologue written by Paul Whitehead. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr Sarjant (only) at the Stage-Door. No persons can be admitted behind scenes, nor any Money returned after curtain is drawn up. To begin exactly at 6 o'clock. [Customary note in succeeding bills.] Receipps: #190 14s. (Account Book). @The New Occasional Prologue@As when the merchant to increase his store@For Dubious seas, advent'rous quits the shore;@Still anxious for his freight, he trembling sees@Rocks in each buoy, and tempest in each breeze@The curling wave to mountain billow swells,@And every cloud a fancied storm fortells:@Thus rashly launch'd on this Theatric main,@Our All on board, each phantom gives Us pain;@The Aatcall's note seems thunder in our ears,@And every Hiss a hurricane appears;@In Journal Squibs we lightning's blast espy,@And meteors blaze in every Critic's eye.@Spite of these terrors, still come hopes we view,@Hopes, ne'er can fail us--since they're plac'd--in you.@Your breath the gale, our voyage is secure,@And safe the venture which your smiles insure;@Though weak his skill, th' adventurer must succeed,@Where Candour takes th' endeavor for the deed.@For Brentford's state, two kings could once suffice;@In ours, behold! four kings of Brentford rise;@All smelling to one nosegay's od'rous savor@The balmy nosegay of--the Public favor.@From hence alone, our royal funds we draw,@Your pleasure our support, your will our law.@While such our government, we hope you'll own us;@But should we ever Tyrant prove--dethrone us.@Like Brother Monarchs, who, to coax the nation@Began their reign, with some fair proclamation,@We too should talk at least--of reformation;@Declare that during our imperial sway,@No bard shall mourn his long-neglected Play;@But then the play must have some wit, some spirit,@And We allow'd sole umpires of its merit.@For those deep sages of the judging Pit,@Whose taste is too refin'd for modern wit,@From Rome's great Theatre we'll cull the piece,@And plant on Britain's stage the flow'rs of Greece.@If some there are, our British Bards can please,@Who taste the ancient wit of ancient days,@Be our's to save, from Time's devouring womb,@Their works, and snatch their laurels from the tomb.@For you, ye Fair, who sprightlier scenes may chuse,@Where Music decks in all her airs the Muse,@Gay Opera shall all its charms dispense,@Yet boast no tuneful triumph over sense;@The nobler Bard shall still assert his right,@Nor Handel rob a Shakespear of his night,@To greet the mortal brethren of our skies [upper galleries]@Here all the Gods of Pantomime shall rise:@Yet midst the pomp and magic of machines,@Some plot may mark the meaning of our scenes;@Scenes which were held, in good King Rich's days,@By sages, no bad epilogues to plays.@If terms like these your suffrage can engage,@To fix our mimic empire of the stage;@Confirm our title in your fair opinions,@And crowd each night to people our dominions.@--(Poems and Miscelaneous Compositions, Ed. Capt. Edward Thompson, 1777) Covent Garden opened with the Rehearsal with alterations. I was in the Pit. Powell, from Drury Lane, one of the new managers who have bought the patent from Rich's heirs, spoke an occasional Prologue. Shuter did Bayes pretty much to my liking, adding many crochets of his own.... Entertainment The Mock Doctor,...Young Jasper pretty well by one Massey, being his first appearance on that stage (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Lillo, Author of George Barnwell. [Prologue, which is by George Colman, the elder, is the Prologue introductory to the play, not the Prologue spoken on 31 May, &c] Afterpiece: The Music by Dr Arnold. The Scenes by Rooker. Books of the Tragedy and of the Songs in the Pantomime to be had in the Theatre

Event Comment: MMiss Susan Mullart, since call'd Mrs Evans [See 5 Jan. 1762]. It is said that Mr Ridout very artfully seduc'd her, and that proofs of their Intimacy appearing Miss Mullart assumed the name of Mrs Evans, and gave out that she had been privately married (Hopkins MS Notes). Ridout had died 28 May 1761. [See 30 Dec. 1761 and also 2 April 1761.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: In five different Interludes, viz. Three Serious, and Two Comic. All The Scenes painted by Monsieur Devoto

Event Comment: Benefit for Smith. Tickets sold at the doors will not be admitted. Tickets and Places to be taken of Mr Smith at his house in Beaufort Buildings, Strand; and of Mr Sarjant at the stage-door of the Theatre. Charges: #70 19s. 6d. [Profit to Smith #79 10s. 6d. plus #136 16s. from tickets (Box 388; Pit 198; Gallery 101).] Receipts: #150 10s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Smith. [See note for 6 March.] Part of Pit laid into Boxes. Ladies send servants by half past 4 o'clock, and those who have taken places in the Pit requested to come early to prevent Confusion in getting to their seats. Tickets deliver'd for Lady Jane Grey will be taken. Charges #65 10s. Profit to Smith #84 6s. 6d., plus #172 15s. from tickets (Box 640; Pit 85). Paid Blanchville Clark as per certificate from Sir John Fielding 10s. (Account Book). Receipts: #149 16s. 6d

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The Orphan, announced on playbill of 31 Dec. 1776. Public Advertiser assigns the Ghost to Farren.] Afterpiece: With Additions and Alterations, New Music, Scenes [by Greenwood, Leroy and French Jun. (Morning Post, 4 Jan.)], Dresses, and Decorations. Receipts: #175 1s. 6d. (137.1.0; 34.17.0; 3.3.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Comedy of 3 Acts [by George Colman] never performed. [In the Shakespearean Pageant, with figures from seventeen of his plays, the chief effectiveness lay with the Musicians who ushered in each group with appropriate music: Martial Music-The Roman Characters of Coriolanus and Julius Caesar; Soft Music-Antony and Cleopatra; Grand Music, Old English Characters-King John, Richard III, Henry VIII: Magical Music, "above, about, underneath" for Prospero; Macbeth's Music; Fairy Music-Oberon and Titania; Solemn Music for Tragic Muse accompanied by Othello, Hamlet, the Ghost, Mad Ophelia and Lear with Cordelia; Dead March in Saul-Juliet's Bier with attendants; Allegro for the Comic Muse-Falstaff, Touchstone, Launcelot, Malvolio; Andante-Florizel and Perdita, Portia Antonio and Bassanio; Flourish-for Car drawn by the muses carrying Shakespeare's Bust; Final Song by Mrs Mattocks, "Sweetest Bard that Ever Sung, Nature's glory, Fancy's Child--." The Prelude is, in print, entirely favorable to Garrick's effort at Stratford. But it could be rendered in a mercilessly ironical manner if the three participating actors so chose. Mainpiece reviewed in the Freeholder's Magazine, Oct.] Receipts: #224 10s

Event Comment: Receipts: #86 (Account Book). Charges #81 15s. Profit to Society #4 5s., plus #106 17s. from tickets (Box 242; Pit 309) (Account Book). Benefit for Use of the Society at the Thatched-House Tavern For the release and discharge of persons imprisoned for small debts. [The Epilogue was written by Cumberland. (See Folger Library Theatrical Clippings). The Curtain rises and discovers a prison; at some distance a woman, poorly habited, and in a disconsolate attitude; after standing some time montionless, in a posture of fixed attention she speaks]: @Woman: Thou loathsome dungeon in whose dreary womb@The pining Debtor finds a living tomb;@Where 'midst the Clank of Chains and Dismal yells@Of shakled felons my sad husband dwells;@From his dark cell, oh give him to my view!@Let him look forth and take a last adieu.@ [As she advances towards the prison, a person in Gentleman's apparel accosts her.] @Man: Stay, Child of Sorrow, thou whose piercing groans@Might move to pity e'en these senseless stones.@Why dost thou bend thy melancholy way@To that Drear Dungeon? Child of Sorrow stay.@Woman: Why should I stay, or my sad Griefs impart?@Can there be pity in a Human heart?@Away and let me die.@ [...The Man suggests a Human heart can have pity] @Woman: If there be such, O lead me to their sight,@And let me plead a wretched sufferer's right:@Can there be Truth, Humanity or Sense@In laws that make Misfortune an offence?@ [Her husband was a God-fearing weaver who fell ill for 10 weeks, lost his job and was seized upon by a relentless creditor.] @Steel'd to their trade, and deaf to all our cries,@Relentless ruffians seize their legal prize;@From my fond arms a dying Husband tear@And plunge their victims in a dungeon there!@Man: Enough! go speak the healing words of peace@To thy sad mate, and bear him this release;@Tell him the Muse, which on these Scenes attend@That balsam to his wounded spirit sends.@And Know this Truth thyself, 'tis not alone@The Preacher's pulpit and the Monarch's throne@That Charity frequents; but in this age,@She guides the Theatre and treads the stage;@Lo! She is present, cast your eyes around,@And here in each Spectator's heart she's found.

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 1, by John O'Keeffe and George Colman, the elder. Synopsis of action in Public Advertiser, 20 Aug.]: The Music by Dr Arnold. The Scenes by Rooker. Books of the Songs [T. Cadell] to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Receipts: #136 3s. 6d. Probable attendance: boxes, 200 paid and 11 orders; stage, 2 paid; balcony, 1 paid; pit, 280 paid and 5 orders; slips, 31 paid and 4 orders; first gallery, 312 paid and 3 orders; second gallery, 112 paid

Event Comment: Admission: 5s., 3s., 2s., 1s. 6d. Receipts: #71 6s

Event Comment: This Comedy was written by Mr Kelly as soon as the Curtain was drawn up they began to hiss--a party was made against it--because he was suspected of Writing for the Court party. Much hissing. Mr Garrick call'd for. No play &c. Cry'd out, at last the play was got thro' with much hissing and Groaning When the play was given out again One Party was for it no more and Kelly's party was for it again so that no play at all was given out (Hopkins Diary). [See Criticism in "British Theatre" article, London Magazine, March, also an extended account of the attack upon the piece. This occurs also in the Town and Country Magazine, which mentions that since the curtain was not drawn up for the farce the audience received a refund.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by Mr Dryden, and Composed by Mr Henry Purcell