Event Comment: Mainpiece: With new Scenery, Dresses and Decorations. The Words of the Dirge and the Elegy to be delivered Gratis, at the Doors of the Theatre. Receipts: #299 13s. (294.17; 4.16)

Event Comment: [1st piece: Epilogue by Miles Peter Andrews.] 2nd piece [1st time; MF 2, by William Pearce. In 1796 acted at cg, reduced to 1 act]: Scenery entirely new, consisting of several Views taken from the Spot, and executed by Richards. The Music selected and composed by Shield. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Morning Chronicle, 16 Nov. 1794: This Day is published Arrived at Portsmouth (1s.). The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [see 22 Apr. 1795]. Receipts: #203 5s. (200.1; 3.4)

Event Comment: [The playbill retains Baddeley as Moses , and Mrs Heard as the Maid , but "Mr Baddeley being suddenly taken ill at the Theatre this Evening Banks play'd the part of Moses, and Evans doubled Surface's Servant with his own, Mrs Heard Ill, Mrs Jones the Maid" (Powell). Baddeley was stricken with apoplexy while still in his dressing room before the play began; he died the following day.] Powell: New Ballet [Alexander the Great] rehearsed at 10; Chorus of 1st Act of Cherokee at 12. Receipts: #174 13s. (136.4.6; 36.5.0; 2.3.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With Alterations [by John Philip Kemble. In his version, as published in 1793, Lewis is assigned to Barrymore, Helena to Mrs Siddons, the Countess to Mrs Ward, Diana to Mrs Powell. Genest lists the present cast; it appears to be reliable. He omits Phillimore, who is assigned in the text, and Miss Tidswell]. A new Edition of All's Well that Ends Well to be had in the Theatre. Afterpiece: With a Sea Fightv. Powell: Drummer rehearsed at 10; Critic at 11:30; Cherokee at 1. Receipts: #282 1s. (178.19; 99.16; 3.6)

Event Comment: The Public are respectfully informed that, a sufficient Profit being allowed to the Persons who sell Plays and Books of Songs in the Theatre, those Persons are forbidden to demand for such Plays or Books of Songs more than the Price marked thereon, upon pain of dismission from their employ. [Afterpiece in place of The Pannel, advertized on playbill of 27 Dec.] Powell: Messrs Danby & Fisher absent from this Evening's Performance, Ill. Measure for Measure rehearsed at 10; New Ballet at 12. Receipts: #208 8s. (167.4.6; 39.13.6; 1.10.0)

Event Comment: [Wathen was from the Richmond theatre. Afterpiece in place of Lodoiska, advertised on playbill of 24 Jan.] Powell: Mountaineers rehearsed at 11; New Ballet at 12. Receipts: #171 6s. (125.7; 41.2; 4.17)

Event Comment: Powell: Sedgwick not coming to the Theatre, his 1st Scene in My Grandmother was oblig'd to be omitted. The above Neglect Mr Sedgwick is too often guilty of. New Ballet rehearsed at 12. [Mainpiece in place of The Clandestine Marriage, advertised on playbill of 6 Feb.] Receipts: #103 7s. 6d. (65.12.6; 31.14.0; 6.1.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (Pocket Magazine, Mar. 1795, pp. 190, 191)]: With new Scenes, &c. Powell, 27 Feb.: Wheel of Fortune rehearsed at 11; 28 Feb.: Wheel of Fortune rehearsed at 10. "The character of Penruddock is [Kemble's] greatest performance, and I believe it to be a perfect one. It is admirable...because the very defect which hurts his general style of acting, that studious and important preciseness, which is affectation in all his other characters, contributes to the strength, to the nature of Penruddock" (Leigh Hunt, Critical Essays on the Performers of the London Theatres, 1807, p. 8). Receipts: #255 19s. (195.10; 57.15; 2.14)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by John O'Keeffe. Prologue by John Taylor (see text). Address by John Wolcot (Pocket Magazine, supra)]: With new Dresses and Decorations. [Mrs Lee was from the Salisbury theatre.] Morning Chronicle, 11 May 1795: This Day is published Life's Vagaries (2s.). Receipts: #268 3s. 6d. (259.19.6; 8.4.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mme Banti. A Grand Serious Opera (1st time in this country [1st performed at Vienna, 1767]), accompanied with Chorusses and Dances. The music entirely by Gluck. With entirely new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. Books of the Opera now to be had at the Office of the Theatre, and at Beckett, Bookseller, Pall Mall. Morning Chronicle, 28 Apr.: To be performed exactly in the same manner as it was represented at Paris, under the direction of Gluck himself. Tickets to be had of Mme Banti, No. 3, Hay-market. Bartolozzi having presented Mme Banti, for her night, with a Ticket designed on purpose and engraved by himself, she proposes to give one of the engravings along with each Box and Pit Tickets, separately from the Ticket which will be admitted at the door. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:15 [see 20 June]

Event Comment: Benefit for Master Welsh. Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by Samuel Birch]: The Music principally new, composed by Attwood, with a few selections from Mozart. Books of the Songs to be had hn the Theatre. Morning Chronicle, 21 May 1795: This Day is published The Adopted Child (1s.). Ibid., 21 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Master Welsh, No. 9, Margaret-street, Westminster. Receipts: #226 10s. (87.13.6; 43.3.6; 17.7.0; tickets: 78.6.0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by James Hook Jun. Larpent MS 1065; not published; synopsis of plot in Pocket Magazine, May 1795, p. 334]: The Musick composed by Hook? Sen. The Scenes, Dresses, Decorations and Machinery are entirely new. The Scenery of the Opera designed and painted by Greenwood and Capon. The Masque and Decorations by Marinari. The Machinery by Cabanel and Jacobs.The Dresses by Johnston and Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. [Afterpiece in place of The Adopted Child, advertised on playbill of 5 May.] Receipts: #269 8s. (213.0.6; 53.16.0; 2.11.6)

Event Comment: 3rd piece [1st time; M. ENT 2, by Samuel James Arnold. Larpent MS 1090; not published]: The new Music, with a Martial Overture, by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; MF 3, by Prince Hoare, Author of Prologue-unknown]: With new Scenes, Dresses, &c. The Overture and Musick composed by Storace. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Mainpiece: 9th Night [i.e. in continuation of the reckoning for the preceding season]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Fosbrook, at the Office, Russel Street. Boxes 6s. 2nd Price 3s. Pit 3s. 6d. 2nd Price 2s. Gallery 2s. 2nd Price 1s. Upper Gallery 1s. 2nd Price 6d. No Money to be returned. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 2 Nov.]. An alteration in the Property taking Place in the present Season [i.e. the introduction of two new proprietors], the former Free List of the Theatre necessarily expires. Printed by C. Lowndes, next the Stage-Door. Receipts: #344 17s. 6d. (247.9.0; 95.1.0; 2.7.6)

Event Comment: A New Heroic Opera [1st performed at Fontainbleau, 1773], in 3 acts, with Chorusses under the direction of Kelly. The Subscribers and the Public are respectfully entreated to observe that, at the pressing desire of the Subscribers, this Theatre will now be opened, without waiting for the arrival of the Performers expected from abroad; consequently the Entertainments cannot be expected to be so complete as otherwise they would have been if the opening had been delayed until the arrival of all the Company. Pit 10s. 6d. Gallery 5s. The Upper Boxes to be taken by the season or by the night. The Doors to be opened at 6:30. To begin exactly at 7:30 [see 7 June 1796]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With Alterations [by John Philip Kemble]. The Scenery and Dresses are entirely new. The Scenes designed and executed by Marinari and Capon. [Oracle, 29 Feb.: Capon painted three scenes of Westminster Hall.] An accurate Edition of The Plain Dealer to be had in the Theatre. Receipts: #324 14s. 6d. (322.6.6; 2.8.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; MD 3, by George Colman, ynger]: The Scenery and Dresses are entirely new. The Musick composed by Storace.The Scenes designed and executed by Greenwood and Capon [the Gothic library was painted by Capon (Oracle, 21 Mar. 1796)]. The Dresses by Johnston, Gay and Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. [When Colman published his play he prefaced it with an acrimonious attack on Kemble, in which he accused him of deliberately trying to make the play a failure. But almost without exception the contemporary reviews excused Kemble's performance on the grounds of his obvious indisposition, and agreed that the play itself was unsatisfactory. "The play failed, and we are sorry to say did not merit to succeed...Kemble, who was tormented With an incessant cough, said he could not but be sensible that much of the displeasure of the house proceeded from his deficiency in a principal character...The whole audience with one voice cried out, 'No, no, Kemble-it is not your fault'" (Oracle, 14 Mar.). "The dialogue is extremely heavy, and there is little or no incident to relieve the tedium of more than four hours representation...Sir Edward Mortimer is a being distracted, with no adequate cause; a prey to remorse, which he of all men was the last to feel from the principles that make up his being. This therefore is the radical moral defect of the piece. But there is another which, though not equally strong, is equally fatal: there is no progression of interest, there is no involution of plot, there is no development of character" (Star, 14 Mar.). Other notices of the opening night were much in the same vein. Subsequently Colman revised the play, and it held the stage for many years. "The curtailments which have been made shorten the representation near an hour and a half, and the alterations are many and judicious" (Morning Herald, 21 Mar. 1796). Morning Herald, 23 July 1796: This Day is published The Iron Chest (2s.). Receipts: #471 9s. (468.13; 2.16)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by William Henry Ireland; incidental music by William Linley. Prologue by Sir James Bland Burges; Epilogue by Robert Merry (see text)]: With new Scenes, Dresses & Decorations. The Scenes designed and excuted by Greenwood and Capon. The Dresses by Johnston, Gay & Miss Rein. Printed slip attached to Kemble playbill: A malevolent and impotent attack on the Shakspeare MSS. [i.e. those forged by W. H. Ireland, of which this play was one] having appeared, on the Eve of representation of Vortigern, evidently intended to injure the interest of the Proprietor of the MSS., Mr Samuel? Ireland [W. H. Ireland's father] feels it impossible, within the short space of time that intervenes between the publishing and the representation, to produce an answer to the most illiberal and unfounded assertions in Mr Malone's enquiry [i.e. Edmond Malone, An Inquiry into the Authenticity of certain Papers attributed to Shakspeare, Queen Elizabeth, and Henry, Earl of Southampton, 1796]. He is therefore induced to request that Vortigern may be heard With that Candour that has ever distinguished a British Audience. The Play is now at the Press, and will in a very few days be laid before the Public. [But it was not issued until 1799 (see below). See also Bernard Grebanier, The Great Shakespeare Forgery, London, 1966.] 4 Apr., states that the first three acts were listened to with patience, but beginning with the fourth act the play was damned, when "one tremendous yell of indignation from the pit burst simultaneously." "At four o'clock the doors of the theatre were besieged; and, a few minutes after they were opened, the pit was crowded solely with gentlemen. Before six not a place was to be found in the boxes, and the passages were filled...The audience betrayed symptoms of impatience early in the representation; but, finding its taste insulted by bloated terms, which heightened the general insipidity, its reason puzzled by discordant images, false ornaments, and abortive efforts to elevate and astonish, pronounced its sentence of condemnation at the conclusion of the play" (Gentleman's Magazine, Apr. 1795, pp. 346-47). "Irelands play of Vortigern I went to. Prologue spoken at 35 minutes past 6 [see 29 Mar.]: Play over at 10. A strong party was evidently made to support it, which clapped without opposition frequently through near 3 acts, when some ridiculous passages caused a laugh, mixed with groans-Kemble requested the audience t o hear the play out abt. the end of 4th act and prevailed.-The Epilogue was spoken by Mrs Jordan who skipped over some lines which claimed the play as Shakespeares. Barrymore attempted to give the Play out for Monday next but was hooted off the stage. Kemble then came on, & after some time, was permitted to say that "School for Scandal would be given," which the House approved by clapping. Sturt of Dorsetshire was in a Stage Box drunk, & exposed himself indecently to support the Play, and when one of the stage attendants attempted to take up the green cloth [i.e. a carpet which, by custom, was laid on the stage during the concluding scene of a tragedy], Sturt seized him roughly by the head. He was slightly pelted with oranges" (Joseph Farington, Diary, 1922, I, 145). Account-Book, 4 Apr.: Paid Ireland his share for the 1st Night of Vortigern #102 13s. 3d. Morning Chronicle, 29 Mar. 1799: This Day is published Vortigern and Henry the Second (4s.). Receipts: #555 6s. 6d. (528.6.0; 26.9.6; 0.11.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; MD 3, by Prince Hoare. Larpent MS 1126; not published; synopsis of plot in Monthly Magazine, May 1796, p. 320]: With new Scenes, Dresses, Decorations, &c. The Musick principally composed by the late Mr Storace [who had died on 19 Mar.], with a few Selections from Paisiello, Haydn and Sarti. [Grove, under Storace, states that the music was completed and prepared for the stage by Kelly and Sga Storace.] The Scenes designed and executed by Marinari and assistants. The Dresses by Johnston, Gay and Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. "It was exceedingly tedious the first night, not being over till eleven o'clock. Since, it has been prudently cut down, and yet has lost nothing. A prologue, written on the very morning of representation, deploring the loss of the composer, was spoken (perfectly) by the last unfortunate Benson [for whom see 9 June. It was written by Hoare (Universal Magazine, May 1796, p. 362), and Was perhaps spoken only on the 1st night; it is not listed on any playbill]" (Monthly Magazine, May 1796, p. 320). "In short, possessing all the science of Harrison, the melody of Incledon, and the pleasing articulation of the late Mrs Kennedy, we have no hesitation in pronouncing [Braham] the first public singer of the present day. He was three times encored. His action is indifferent, and his dialogue scarcely audible" (Morning Herald, 2 May). Receipts: #297 14s. (258.10.6; 38.19.6; 0.4.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wild, prompter. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1]: The Words of the Ode will be given in the Theatre. 3rd piece: A Short Description of the Scenery, &c. The Hall of Fingal-the Banquet preparatory to the celebration of the Nuptials of Oscar and Malvina; The Mountain of Ben Lomond; The Military Procession of Carrol to the Hall of Fingal; A View of the Sea and Rock, from which Oscar escapes, by leaping from a precipice, 20 feet high, into the arms of his Soldiers; A View of the Bridge, with the Camp of Carrol-the Death of Carrol, by the hands of Malvina, with his Descent into the Sea, and the Burning of the Camp of Carrol. The new Music composed, and the Ancient Scots Music selected and adapted by Shield. The Overture by Reeve. Morning Herald, 3 May: Tickets to be had of Wild, No. 46, Drury-lane. Receipts: #394 13s. (187.9; 3.10; tickets: 203.14)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Never [previously] performed at this Theatre [1st acted by the dl Company at king's, 18 Oct. 1792]. The new Scenes by Greenwood. The Musick composed principally by Attwood; rest from Mozart and Sarti. Receipts: #363 9s. (262.10; 99.2; 1.17)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2. but printed in 3, by John O'Keeffe]: Taken [by its author]. with various Alterations, from the Opera of The Lad of the Hills [see 9 Apr. 1796]. The Music partly compiled, and the Overture, new Music and the Accompaniments to the National Airs, composed by Shield. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Account-Book. 3 Oct.: Paid O'Keeffe for the Alteration of the Lad of the Hills and the Golden Pippin [see 5 Nov.] #100. Receipts: #220 19s. 6d. (209.15.6; 11.4.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Prince Hoare, based partly on Le Comte D'Albert et sa Suite, by Michael Jean Sedaine. Larpent MS 1153; not published; synopsis of plot in Monthly Visitor, Feb. 1797, p. 164]: The Musick partly new and partly selected [by Michael Kelly; overture by Stanislas Champein (BUC 567)]. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Receipts: #321 14s. (184.18.6; 134.14.6; 2.1.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; BALL. P 2]: Composed by Charles? Farley; Founded chiefly on a principal Episode ["The History of Don Raymond," Vol. I, chaps. III, IV] in the Romance of The Monk [by Matthew Gregory Lewis]. With entire new Music, Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. The Music by Reeve. The Scenery designed by Phillips, and executed by him, the assistance of Hollogan, Blackmore, Thorne, Byrn, &c. The Machinery by Cresswell and Sloper. The Dresses and Decorations by Dick, Goostree and Mrs Egan. Books of the Songs and Chorusses [T. N. Longman, 1797] to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #377 17s. (364.3.6; 13.13.6)