Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bannister. Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by Leonard Macnally, based on A Mad World, My Masters, by Thomas Middleton. MS: Larpent 729; not published. Introduction by the author (Town and Country Magazine, June 1786, p. 328]. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre [composer unknown]. Morning Herald, 11 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Bannister, No. 29, Bow-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #273 4s. 6d. (180/6/0; 7/9/6; tickets: 85/9/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Lewis. Mainpiece: Never performed at this Theatre. Receipts: #265 2s. (190/18/6; 8/12/6; tickets: 65/11/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Fawcett and the Widow Butler. Morning Chronicle, 17 May: Tickets to be had of Fawcett, Craven Buildings; of Mrs Butler, next door to the theatre. Receipts: #235 1s. (21/17/0; 16/16/6; 0/6/6; tickets: 196/1/0) (charge: #108 18s. 4d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs T. Kennedy. Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. Many Tickets of Mr Kennedy's having been stolen, he gives public Notice that no Tickets sold at the Doors or Avenues of the Theatre will have Admission this Evening. Morning Chronicle, 19 May: Tickets to be had of Kennedy, No. 44, Great Queen-street. Receipts: #108 4s. 6d. (41/1/6; 5/3/0; tickets: 62/0/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: [Home, who was from the Bristol theatre, is identified in Morning Herald, 21 June.] Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Elizabeth Inchbald, based on L'Heureuse Erreur, by Joseph Patrat. Prologue by Thomas Holcroft (see text)]. Morning Chronicle, 15 Aug. 1786: This Day is published The Widow's Vow (1s.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Wycherley, altered by Garrick, and perform'd very often last season, at the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane, with great applause. Afterpiece: Never acted here. Peeping Tom is obliged to be deferred till Monday next

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by O'Keeffe, Author of The Poor Soldier, &c, and perform'd at the Theatre Royal, Hay-Market, with universal Applause

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Phillips. Tickets to be had of Miss Phillips, at the West-End of Dorville's-Row. Afterpiece: Written by O'KeefFe, set to music by Shield, and performed with greatest applause at the Theatre-Royal, Covent-Garden

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Chambers and Mrs Clarke. Mainpiece: Written by Mrs Cowley, and performed at the Theatre-Royal, Covent-Garden with universal Applause. Never Acted there

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Johnston & Miss Williams. Mainpiece: Written by R. Cumberland, Esq., and perform'd at the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane, with great Applause. Never acted there. Tickets to be had of Mr and Mrs Johnston & Miss Williams at the Windsor Castle [Inn], Plough and Harrow, Angel, Cock and Magpie, Salutation; and of Waldron, No. 17, Dorville's Row, where places for the Boxes may be taken

Event Comment: [A detailed account of all three pieces appears in Sophie v. la Roche, Sophie in London, 1933, pp. 93-95. The theatre is described as seeming "exceptionally small, but it is very prettily painted in blue and white; the boxes, as in Paris, are open and everything is well lit." In 3rd piece "A twelve-year-old girl dressed as a poor boy who walks around with a bundle of rushes, straw and reeds to patch up old chairs, then really sits down to work on one, sang and played unusually well; indeed, was obliged to give two encores; the third time, however, announced with dignity and candour that it would not be possible, and that she feared she might be unable to take her part the next day; which would grieve her excessively, as she liked having her modest talents appreciated and applauded. Everyone clapped and praised her aloud. She is beuatiful, and deserves to be the nation's darling, and will certainly become a great actress, competent to keep her voice, gesture and features in complete control, never using her talents wrongly or producing exaggerated effects."]

Event Comment: Places for the Boxes to be taken of Fosbrook, at the Theatre. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 14 Nov.]. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. In drinking health to the King at the supper table in the farce, Baddeley introduced very appositely an allusion to his Majesty's late fortunate escape [on 2 Aug., when Margaret Nicholson attempted to assassinate him], which was received with three plaudits" (London Chronicle, 19 Sept.). Receipts: #260 13s. (224.2; 36.6; 0.5)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years [acted 31 Dec. 1783. Pope had acted Beverley in Edinburgh in the summer of 1786 (Morning Post, 26 Sept.). The playbill assigns Stukeley to Aickin, but he "having had the misfortune to lose his wife, Stukeley was played by Inchbald" (Morning Chronicle, 26 Sept.), from the York theatre, 1st appearance on this stage (see 4 Oct.)]. Afterpiece: Never acted there. Paid Properties the 22nd Instant 6s. 8d.; Wardrobe #6 2s. 6d.; Guard [master carpenter] for Scenemen #10 18s. 6d.; Supernumeraries #4 7s. 6d. Receipts: #194 16s. (193.0.6; 1.15.6)

Event Comment: [Ryder was from the Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin.] "He has the merit of being very articulate-a merit valuable from its rarity" (Gazetteer, 26 Oct.). Receipts: #246 10. (243.15.6; 2.14.6)

Event Comment: The Lord Chamberlain sent an order, between four and five in the evening, to the two theatres to cease representing any plays, till after the funeral of the late Princess Amelia [daughter of George II; she died on 31 Oct.] (Morning Chronicle, 2 Nov.)

Event Comment: [Mrs Belfille was from the Norwich theatre.] Account-Book, 6 Dec.: Paid Mrs Belfille for a Stage Dress #21 10s. 6d. Afterpiece: Not acted these 15 years [acted 15 Jan. 1776]. The Doors will be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [see 30 Apr. 1787]. Receipts: #243 5s. 6d. (238.1.0; 5.4.6)

Event Comment: Paid Danby [for] Chorus #9; Printer [of playbills] #14 6s. 6d. [Mrs McGeorge was from the Tunbridge Wells theatre.] Afterpiece: To conclude with a Grand Representation of a Regattav . "When [Mrs Siddons] begins a dialogue of scorn, at the top of her voice (as she did last night in the fifth act), the climax must inevitably be sacrificed" (Morning Chronicle, 7 Dec.). Receipts: #227 6s. (204.6.0; 22.4.6; 0.15.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years. [Didier was from the Bath theatre. Afterpiece in place of The Poor Soldier, announced on playbill of 12 Dec.] Receipts: #159 15s. (156.15; 3.0)