Event Comment: [For
Cross' comment, see dl.] Receipts: #203 8s. 6d. Paid
Barry one third of
the surplus of this night's receipt over and above #80 allow'd for
the charges:-#41 2s. 10s. Paid
Lambert (Scene Painter) 3 month's salary to 16 Nov. last:-#25 (Account Book). [
Lee, who seems to have entered earlier on a percentage-of-Box-Receipts: basis for his salary, received only one-third of receipts above a house charge of #100.]
The Tragedy of
King Lear was presented on this stage;
King Lear by
Mr Barry, and
Cordelia by
Mrs Bellamy;
The latter was received with universal satisfaction; but on
the former's appearance, after a thundering Peal of Applause, a few misguided persons made it necessary for Mr Barry to inform
the audience that it ever had been his study to contribute his utmost to
the entertainment of
the town, and that all reports of his having been exorbitant in his demands were injurious and totally groundless. Upon this he was desired with one general acclamation to proceed in
the play.
The disturbers of
the public were ordered to be silent or to be turned out of
the house; and this great actor proved, by
the improvement he has made in this character, that excellent as he is, he is still capable of reaching
new strokes of perfection; and in
the conclusion of
the play
the applause he met with was
the tribute of hearts gratefully agitated through
the whole performance with a variety of passions thrown into a ferment by powers most wonderfully suited to tenderness and compassion (
London Chronicle, 3-6 Dec.)