Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland was at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, to see the tragedy of The Orphan; being the first time of his Royal Highness's being at either of the Theatres since his indisposition (General Advertiser, 4 Jan.). Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Cross, Prompter, Mrs Cross, and Son. N.B. Mr Cross takes the liberty to inform the Ladies and Get&ntlemen who intend to honour him with their company, that his constant Attendance upon the Business of the theatre, will hinder him from applying to them in person, and therefore hopes to receive their commands at his house in Crown Court, Little Russel-Street, Covent Garden, or at the Stage Door of the theatre, where Tickets and Places are to be had for his benefit. Receipts: #156 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Howard. Afterpiece: A Masque (never perform'd here). As it was performed at the Theatre Royal Dublin, with universal applause. The Music composed by Sg Pasquali. Printed Books of the Entertainment will be sold at the Theatre. Tickets deliver'd out by Grandchamps and Madem Camargo will be taken

Event Comment: Places for Boxes to be taken at the stage door of the theatre. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. To begin exactly at 6 o'clock. [Customary notices repeated throughout the season.] Mr W. Giffard and Mrs Bland from the Theatre in Dublin, are arrived in London, and will shortly make their appearance at Covent Garden (General Advertiser 14 Sept.)

Event Comment: For the Small Pox Hospital; Pit and Boxes 1!2 Guinea; a Treble Ticket at 26s., which admits a Gentleman and two Ladies to the Pit and Boxes, and the Gentleman to Dinner at Merchant Taylors Hall. First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. No more Tickets will be disposed of than will conveniently fill the House, nor will any Money be taken at the Doors, or Collection at the Theatre. This being a Morning's Entertainment it is not expected that the Ladies come full-dressed. The most convenient way to the upper gallery at the Theatre, is through the King's Yard. To begin at 12 noon

Event Comment: To begin exactly at 6:00 o'clock. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be had of Mr Varney at the Stage door. [Repeated throughout the season.] Ye Naturalizing Bill having made some Noise against the Jews, some people call'd out for ye Merchant of Venice, & a Letter was thrown upon ye Stage desiring that play instead of the Opera, but we took no Notice of it, some little hissing but it dy'd away (Cross). [Sometime in the calendar year 1753, Lacy and Garrick drew up a mortgage on the Drury Lane property for #10,000, to be amortized to James Clutterbuck over a period of twenty-one years at the rate of #4 per acting night, and permission to grant free seats in any part of the theatre (except the stage, scenes and orchestra) to forty persons. These latter to be named and seats assigned ten days prior to the opening of any season. This thirteen-page document, which describes accurately the bounds of the 13,134 square feet of land on which the ten buildings comprising Drury Lane Theatre stood, contains protective clauses for Clutterbuck, to the effect that Garrick and Lacy will exhibit nowhere else in London without the #4 nightly payment and for Garrick and Lacy, to the effect that arrears in payment could be collected solely from Drury Lane property, and not from the individual incomes of the mortgagees. It was not signed, so apprently was not executed. (See Havard, Collection of Documents dealing with affairs of Drury Lane, No 2, fMS, Thr 12.)] Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: An Italian Comic Opera by some performers just arriv'd from Paris. Went off pretty well, -a Girl greatly admir'd (Cross). [The girl seems to have been Sga Spiletta.] She plays off with inexhaustible spirits all muscular evolutions of the face and brows; while in her eye wantons a studied archness, and pleasing malignity. Her voice has strength and scope sufficient; has neither too much of the feminine, nor an inclining to the male. Her gestures are ever varying; her transitions quick and easy. Some over-nice critics, forgetting, or not knowing the meaning of the word Burletta, cry that her manner is outre. Wou'd she not be faulty were it otherwise? The thing chargeable to her is (perhaps) too great a luxurience of comic tricks; which (an austere censor would say) border on unlaced lasciviousness, and extravagant petulance of action (Paul Hiffernan, The Tuner, No 1). [Spiletta was the name of the character to whom Sga Nicolina Giordani gave such life that the name stuck to her. See Saxe Wyndham, Annals of Covent Garden Theatre.] [A Comic Opera by G. Giordani, Music by G. Cocchi-Nicoll, English Drama, III, p. 349.] Nothing less than the full price will be taken during the Performance. Printed books of the opera sold at the theatre. Tomorrow, Venice Preserved. [Murphy commented in Gray's Inn Journal (22 Dec.): "A great deal of whatever humour this production may contain, is certainly lost to an English audience; and the manner of acting, being a burlesque upon what people here are not very well acquainted with, is not universally felt. But notwithstanding these disadvantages, there is one among them, Sga Nicolina Giordani, who displayed such lively traces of Humour in her countenance, and such pleasing variety of action, and such variety of graceful deportment, that she is generally acknowledged to be, in that Cast of playing, an excellent comic actress."

Event Comment: Printed books of the opera will be sold at the theatre. Published this day at 1s. Lo Studente A La Moda, dramma comicogiocoso, as it is acted at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. With an English Translation. Sold by H. Woodfall...Where may be had Gli Amanti Gelosi, with an English translation. [Opera in there acts in Italian and French. Larpent MS 103. Altered from A. Polomba La Violante. Music by G. B. Pergolesi. Rich applied to the Duke of Grafton (9 Jan.) for license to perform it.

Event Comment: [The Public Advertiser for 15 Feb. noted the following concerning this night's performance: Whereas several complaints, by letter and otherwise, have been lately made to the Managers of Drury Lane Theatre, of the ill Behavior of some persons in the Upper Gallery, who throw down Apples, Potatoes, and other things into the Pit.: This is therefore to assure the Ladies and Gentlemen that the Managers will take all imaginable care to discover and prosecute any person or persons, who shall, disturb, or insult them for the future. If any person will discover who it was that flung a hard piece of cheese, of near half a Pound Weight, from one of the Galleries last Tuesday Night [11 Feb.] and greatly hurt a young Lady in the Pit, shall receive Ten Guineas from Mr Pritchard, the Treasurer of the Theatre."] Receipts: #190 (Cross)

Event Comment: On Monday Next Douglas a Tragedy. [The Public Advertiser includes a full column extract from David Hume's Letter to Rev John? Home concerning Douglas: "I have the Ambition to be the first who shall in public express his Admiration of your Noble tragedy of Douglas; one of the most interesting and pathetic Pieces, that was ever exhibited upon any theatre. Should I give it preference to the Merope of Maffei, and to that of Voltaire which it resembles in its subject; should I affirm that it contained more Fire and Spirit than the former and more Tenderness and Simplicity that the latter; I might be accused of partiality....But the unfeighned tears which flowed from every eye, in the numerous representations which were made of it on this theatre; the unparalleled command which you appeared to have over every affection of the human breast; these are incontestable proofs that you possess the true Theatric Genius of Shakespear and Otway, refined from the unhappy Brabarism of the one, and Licentiousness of the other." The reference was to earlier performances in Edinburg.

Event Comment: PPublic Advertiser: Mr Vanneschi begs leave to inform the Nobility and Gentry, that a Licence being granted to him from the Lord Chamberlain's office, with his Majesty's most gracious Approbation, for exhibiting Italian operas at the King's Theatre in the Haymarket, Subscriptions for the ensuing Season will be taken in by Mess. Drummond and Co., Bankers at Charing Cross. He humbly desires his Protectors and Subscribers, to oblige him with an early Payment of their Subscription Money, in order that he may be able to give the necessary Securities to Sga Colomba Mattei, and to Sg Pasquale Potenza, as also to the Rest of his Singers and Dancers. It being given out that Mr Vanneschi hath not engaged the Use of the Opera House for the ensuing Season of Operas, it is hereby certified, that the Proprietor thereof hath agreed with Mr Vanneschi for the same. Sign'd by order of the Proprietor. Peter Crawford, Treasurer of said Theatre

Event Comment: Receipts: #100 (Cross). The Upholsterer is deferr'd till Wednesday Next. The theatre commonly call'd the Duke of York's Theatre in York Buildings is now taken down, and dwelling houses going to be built. The beautiful ceiling was painted by Verrio, but could not be remov'd

Event Comment: N.B. We have engag'd Mr King; & Miss Baker from Ireland, one Mr Moody, a Stroler,-Mr Beard is gone to Covent Garden, 'tis said to be manager Mr Mossop to Ireland. Receipts: #120 (Cross). Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places from Mr Varney at the Stage Door. No admittance behind scenes. [The customary note about prices and admittance will not be noted further here.] [At the opening of the theatres this season appeared an essay in Goldsmith's Bee, giving close observations upon actors, and deploring the relative stiffness and formality of English actors in comparison with the French. Advised English actors to travel abroad. Yet (Vol. 1759, p. 12) commented on the magnificnece of "our theatres as far superior to any others in Europe where plays only are acted. The great care our performers take in painting for a part, their exactness in all minutiae of dress, and other little scenical proprieties has been taken notice of by Riccoboni." Complains of the convention of laying a rug before a dying scene and of the vacant expressions of mutes on stage.

Event Comment: Admission: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for Boxes to taken of Mr Sarjant at the Stage Door of the Theatre. Play to begin exactly at o'clock. [This information, appearing at the foot of each bill, will not be repeatdd hereafter, except for significant differences.] Receipts: #111 5s. Deficit brought over from last season accounts, Journal T. Folio, 182, #164 0s. 6d. Paid Mr Lambert 3 month's salary to 15 Aug. last #25 (Covent Garden Cash Book). [Goldsmith's Bee (1759, p. 9) remarks on the better business used by Lovegold in the French theatre than used at cg: "Lovegold [in France] in the height of his passion stops to pick up a pin, quilting it in his coat, and snuffs out an extra candle." Implies that such subconscious revelations of the character of the miser might well be used by the English.

Event Comment: PPublic Advertiser: In the afternoon died Mr Richard Cross, Prompter to the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, whose Abilities in his Station were equal to any in the Theatre, and whose Integrity would have done credit to any Profession

Event Comment: ctually no play. Death of George II closed theatres three weeks.] Mainpiece: Not acted in 2 years. [See 28 April 1759. There was no income this night, but the play list had to be met. The house carried a profitable balance of #318 16s. 5d. The payroll plus other expenses came to #284 12s. 9d., leaving a thin balance of #34 3s. 8d. (Account Book). Other bills included #14 17s. to Luppino for making dancing dresses; Robertson 10s. for attendance four nights in The Rape; Miss Ibbott #5 5s. for performing the part of Queen Elizabeth in the Earl of Essex; Marenesi and wife advanced weekly #2 2s. till the Theatre opened again (Account Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Desire. Boxes #62 10s. 6d. Macklin's fifth above charges came to #25 2s. 11d. Paid for sundry clothes from Voelcher #30 10s. Paid Blackmore a Bill for Rich #29 10s. and a Bill for the Theatre from 19 April last: #84 (Account Book). [On 1 Feb. one H. F. of the Middle Temple wrote to Macklin suggesting two things to insure the success of the Married Libertine. The first was practical, "bring in a claque of friends to counteract the noise of the Scots Lords who are opposing it." The second was revisional: "The play is too long,--shorten it and give the house notice that you have so done. The scenes wherein Lady Belville is solemn, grave, complaining and moral may be much abbreviated; this will...take away that heavy, lazy and sleepy (however just) part which makes your friends languish and grow cold, and gives your enemies an opportunity to improve their rancor and malignity. This observation may be applied to every recital, narrative or description which is not absolutely necessary or descriptive,--I mean necessarily connected with the frame, contexture & execution of the drama, or something designed or painted with uncommon poetic fire and enthusiasm. Pray consider whether that serious, moral and sentimental part in the character of Angelica might not be curtailed, or entirely omitted. I would have your young captain fully employed in action without ever standing still to moralize or harangue, however sensibly and poignantly he may do it. After all this there will remain a rich and uninterrupted vein of true comic humour and lively representation in short, a well connected series and succession of business which I am convinced would keep the audience so attentive and so entirely possessed that there would be no room for languor or malice to produce any effect to your detriment." (Memoirs of Macklin [Harvard Theatre Collection, extra-illustrated edition, I, part 2, p. 414.] Receipts: #188 14s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. No Admittance behind Scenes. No Money to be returned after Curtain is drawn up. Places to be had of Mr Johnston at the Stage Door. To Begin precisely at half an hour after Six. [Customary information at foot of each bill, will not be further noted.] [Announcement of improvements in the physical plant appeared in the newspapers in August 1762. Aug. 2. "A great number of workmen are now employed in getting ready Drury Lane Theatre for the ensuing season. The stage has been greatly lengthened, and the Pit and Boxes considerably enlarged, having taken in one of the lobbies for that purpose; the two galleries are also entirely rebuilt, and rendered much larger and more commodious, and the slips on each side are formed into green boxes. It is computed from the several alterations made that the house will contain #90 more than heretofore." Aug. 11: "We hear that the greatest improvements are making in Drury Lane Theatre against the ensuing season ever known, particularly a fine artificial cascade which will be exhibited in an entertainment the grandest and most beautiful ever seen in this or in any Kingdom."-Theatrical Miscellanies, Boston Public Library, Cuttings, G 60.23.

Event Comment: [Puff for the afterpiece]: As this Pastoral was not originally designed for the theatre, it is thought proper to give the public some account of it, and by what means it has now found its way to the stage. The Chorusses and Airs were selected from Mr Handel, and several other eminent masters, by a gentleman whose taste and knowledge in music is perhaps his least merit. Having conceived the design of a musical entertainment of this miscellaneous nature he found himself oblig'd...to connect them [the airs] by a Recitative of his own composition: This naturally produced a kind of a little drama, and the ease and elegance of the whole is the more to be admired when it is considered that the words were of necessity composed in perfect subservience to the music. The piece has been several times performed at Salisbury and greatly admired by many of the first Rank. The author, upon Mr Norris being engaged at the theatre, was applied to for leave to bring it on the stage, to which he has most obligingly given his consent. [Cast given] After an agreeable Overture, the curtain rises and discovers a rural scene, and a troop of nymphs and shepherds assembled to celebrate the Spring. Their rejoicings open with a grand cheerful chorus. We cannot say enough of the taste and execution of Mr Vernon and Miss Young in this scene. The united sprightliness and simplicity of the duet was truly admirable. [Song given, followed by a brief description of the parting of the shepherds, the announcement of Peace so they won't have to part, and special commendation for the various songs of Mr Vincent, and Mr Norris.] We will venture to prophesy that it will be more and more admired at every representation; though perhaps it may not fall in with the Taste of the Groundlings, who, like Polonius, are for a Jig or a Tale of Bawdry, or they sleep (Public Advertiser)

Event Comment: [This month the periodical, The Beauties of All Magazines Selected (London, 1763) quoted from the Theatrical Review Remarks on that Part of Dramatical Entertainments called Singing," A garrulous article concluding: The millions must be pleased-if audiences were only to be entertained with sensible exhibitions, or if only sensible people composed those audiences, whew! in what a sickly and consumptive state would be two thirds of the first rate salaries in every theatre!' (p. 76). This month publish'd An Appeal to the Publick in behalf of the Manager. Price 1s. Printed for Wilson. Hear all; and then let Justice hold the Scale. Shakespeare. A rather full description of the Fitzpatrick half-price riots, exonerating Garrick and the players. This month (probably) was published Theatrical Disquisitions; or, a Review of the late Riot at Drury Lane Theatre, 25, 26 January 1763, By a Lady (32 pp.). A calm defense of the acting profession, and a scourge of Fitzpatrick as a coward and a great nuisance. She prefers seeing plays to reading them. Holds Garrick blameless for reviving the Chances after failure of Eastward Ho. Comments at length on brilliance of contemporary stage costume in comparison with that earlier in the century.

Event Comment: As frequenters of the Theatre have often complained of the interruptions in the performances occasioned by a crowded stage at the Benefits-the Performers will have no building on the stage, nor take any money behind the scenes being willing to forego that advantage, for the sake of renderin the representations more agreeable to the Publick [a front-page notice for Drury Lane Theatre in the Public Advertiser this day]

Event Comment: full column letter to the public signed by John Beard appeared in the Public Advertiser announcing his agreement to the half-price demands of the rioters, and excusing himself for not acquiescing with more alacrity on the night of the demand. His excuse was that he was merely manager for other proprietors, and that property interest was involved in the financial sacrifice he was asked to make. He noted further reasons for not immediately giving in to demands of the rioters: Mr Beard had at that time received several anonymous threatening letters and notes concerning many other branches of what they called Reformation. He was ordered by one to add a farce to Love in a Village, or the House should be pulled about his ears. By andther he was commanded to put a stop to the farther representation of that Opera, upon the penalty of enforcing his compliance by a Riot the next night of performance, and very lately received certain information of meetings, which have already been held, and an Association forming to reduce the prices at the Theatre to what they were forty years since, tho' it is notorious the Expence of Theatrical Entertainments are more than doubled. For these reasons he looked upon the Occasion of the present disturbance only as a prelude to future violence; as the first not the last salutation of this extraordinary kind to be expected, and apprehended that too easy an acquiescence might possibly prove rather encouragement than prevention. Nevertheless in gratitude for the many favours and indulgencies received from the Publick, and from an earnest desire to promote that order and decorum so essential in all Public Assemblies, the Proprietors have now jointly authorized Mr Beard to declare that they shall think themselves equally bound with the managers of the other Theatre to an observance of those limitations which they have agreed to." This letter repeated in Public Advertiser, 3 March.

Event Comment: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr Sarjant at the Stage Door of the Theatre. No money to be return'd after the curtain is drawn up. To begin at 6 o'clock. No persons to be admitted behind Scenes. [Customary notice on each bill. Only significant differences will be noted hereafter. Special notice appeared on all Bills this season from 19 Sept.-19 Nov. 1763]: Whereas many Complaints have been made of Interruptions, in the performances at this theatre, occasion'd, by the Admission of Persons behind the Scenes; in Order to prevent the Like for the Future, it is humbly hop'd, no Nobleman or Gentleman, will insist on a Privilege so displeasing to the AUDIENCE in General; whose APPROBATION it is the DUTY, as well as the INTEREST, of the Managers, to endeavour, on all Occasions, to deserve