Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Jackson. Mainpiece [1st time in London; T 5, by John Jackson, 1st acted at Crow Street Theatre, Dublin, 13 Jan. 1777, as Gerilda. Larpent MS 448, which also lists the following unassigned parts: Halard, Bragances, Setoc, Bruno, Grindal, Clara. Authors of Prologue and Epilogue unknown]. [Robinson, who is identified in Morning Chronicle, 6 May, was from the Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin.] Account-Book, 4 May: Paid Hull in lieu of a Benefit #100. Public Advertiser, 18 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Jackson, Great Piazza, Covent Garden. Receipts: #188 15s. 6d. (99.19.6; tickets: 88.16.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: [As afterpiece the playbill announces the 31st night of The Touchstone (see 20 Feb.), but "The entertaiment at Covent-garden theatre was obliged to be changed last night, on account of Lee Lewes being seized with a most violent inflammation in his right arm...Hand-bills, announcing that The Reprisal would be the farce, were distributed at each door of the theatre as the company came in; when the tragedy, however, was ended, some persons in the galleries...began an alarming disturbance, calling out vociferously for the pantomime...and continued throughout the farce to behave in the most savage manner, pelting every actor and actress as fast as either came on the stage. Mrs Morton stood their fire of oranges, apples, and pieces of wood, with more heroism than prudence. At length the brutes aimed at her head with an orange, which struck her a violent blow, and she fainted immediately" (Morning Chronicle, 16 Feb.).

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2]: Written by the Author of Tony Lumpkin in Town [John O'Keeffe. Text (1st authorized) published in Cumberland's British Theatre, Vol. XXXI]. The Music and Overture composed by Dr Arnold [with airs adapted from Philidor and Guglielmi (Public Advertiser, 17 Aug.)]. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: [Henderson had 1st acted Macbeth in London at dl, 31 Mar. 1778.] "We have often remonstrated against the incongruous stile of dressing plays at each theatre...Last night the modern custom of making the principal actor fine was followed without any regard to propriety, or any care about the other personages of the drama" (Morning Chronicle, 19 Oct.). Receipts: #249 10s. 6d. (248.6.0; 1.4.6)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Zara, announced on playbill of 9 Oct.] Public Advertiser, 11 Oct.: Mrs Crawford refusing to fulfill her Engagement at this Theatre, Zara cannot be performed. [Throughout this season Mrs Crawford was acting at the Crow Street Theatre, Dublin.] Receipts: #110 6s. 6d. (78/1/0; 31/2/0; 1/3/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 5 years. [Bonnor and Miss Scrase were from the Bath theatre; Mrs Chalmers from the York theatre.] Receipts: #201 18s. (200/5; 1/13)

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. Paid One-half Yrs. Land Tax on the Theatre #52 10s., and One-half Yrs. Window Lights [tax] for Theatre #6 12s. 6d. Receipts: #327 14s. (323/19; 3/15)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Several of the Airs and the Overture composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin precisely at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Places for the Boxes to be had of Rice at the Theatre. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s

Event Comment: Benefit for Waldron. 1st piece: Originally written by the celebrated Monsieur de Beaumarchais, and perform'd innumerably, often at Paris; translated and adapted to the English Stage by the very ingenious Mr Holcroft, Author of several admired Dramatic and other Works; and perform'd with unbounded Applause during Half the Season last Winter at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. 2nd piece: Never acted here; written by Mr O'Keeffe, set to music by Mr Shield, and performed with unceasing Applause at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. 3rd piece: To conclude with the Representation of the Siege of Gibraltar, Elliot's Red Hot Balls, &c. Tickets to be had of Waldron, at the Cock and Magpie

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Waldron. Mainpiece: Written by the celebrated General Burgoyne (Tam Marti quam Mercurio), and performed near Forty Nights last season at the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane, with unprecedented Applause. 2nd piece: Written by O'Keeffe, set to music by Shield, and performed with unceasing Applause at the Theatre-Royal in the Hay-Market

Event Comment: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon at the Theatre. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 13 Nov.]. [Macready was from the Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin. In mainpiece the playbill assigns Miss Ogle to Mrs T. Kennedy, but on the Kemble playbill her name is deleted, and a MS annotation substitutes Mrs Lewis's.] "The dress worn by Lewis, with small buttons innumerable, that gave it the air of a Hussar's jacket lengthened, was lately a coat won by the Prince of Wales" (Morning Chronicle, 20 Sept.). Receipts: #242 5s. 6d. (239.19.6; 2.6.0)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Harwood, late prompter of the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane. Harwood's respectful compliments to his Friends in particular, and the publick in general, and assures them every effort in his power shall be exerted to render the Evening's Entertainment agreeable, and humbly hopes for their well-known candour and protection on the above occasion. Tickets and Places to be had of Harwood, next door to Drury-Lane Theatre, Little Russel-street, Covent Garden. [Harwood was prompter at dl from 1780 to 1786. Hooke was from cg.] Afterpiece: Written by the late Samuel Foote, Esq