Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years [not acted since 28 Apr. 1773]. With new Scenes [by French and Carver (text)] and Dresses. [In the Vocal Parts the playbill lists Sga Prudom, but "at the end of the second act, Smith came forward and apologized for the absence of Signora Prudom, and begged that Mrs Wrighten might be permitted to take her part . . . Mrs Wrighten was received with applause" (London Chronicle, 20 Oct.). Sga Romanzini was from the Royal Circus.] Receipts: #123 8s. 6d. (92/15/0; 29/11/0; 1/2/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author [of mainpiece]. Receipts: none listed (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Samuel Jackson Pratt. Author of Prologue unknown. Epilogue attributed to the Hon. Richard Fitzpatrick (Crouch, 1, 125), and to Richard Brinsley Sheridan (I. A. Williams in The London Mercury, Aug. 1924, pp. 412-15)]: With New Scenes (see 29 Nov.), Dresses and Decorations. Public Advertiser, 12 Dec. 1781: This Day is published The Fair Circassian (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #149 19s. (126/19/0; 22/17/6; 0/2/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; c 5,by Richard Griffith. Prologue by Richard Tickell (see text). Author of Epilogue unknown]: With new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. Public Advertiser, 27 Mar. 1782: This Day is published Variety (1s 6d.). Receipts: #226 9s. 6d. (218/5/0; 7/14/6; 0/10/0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: The characters to be entirely new dressed. The Doors to be opened at 5:00. To begin at 6:00

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by the Author of The Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture and New Musick composed by Dr Arnold. "The same person who, in the play, performed the school-fellow of the Nabob with a great deal of nature, and original humour, here acted the part of the school-master; his name is Edwin, and he is, without doubt, one of the best actors of all that I have seen ... [He], in all his comic characters, still preserves something so inexpressibly good tempered in his countenance, that notwithstanding all his burlesques, and even grotesque buffoonery, you cannot but be pleased with him . . . Nothing could equal the tone and countenance of self-satisfaction, with which he answered one who asked him whether he was a scholar? 'Why, I was a master of scholars.' A Mrs Webb represented a cheesmonger, and played the part of a woman of the lower class, so naturally, as I have no where else ever seen equalled. Her huge, fat, and lusty carcase, and the whole of her external appearance seemed quite to be cut out for it" (Carl Philipp Moritz, Travels in England in 1782, London, 1924, pp. 73-74)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by the Author of The Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture and New Music composed by Dr Arnold

Event Comment: Paid Wild [prompter] for 3 licenses [from Lord Chamberlain, to act new plays] #6 6s. Receipts: #147 7s. (142/9; 4/18)

Event Comment: "Among other Obligations that the Town has to the new Open is that it has, for this year, delivered the Play-goer from his periodical Endurance of Rowe's Tamerlane" (Public Advertiser, 6 Nov.). The reference is to the long established custom of performing Tamerlane either on 4 Nov. (the date of William III's birth) or 5 Nov. (the date of his landing in England). In the play the virtuous Tamerlane was held to be the portrait of an upright monarch, and the vicious Bajazet [i.e. Louis xiv] as that monarch's enemy. At DL Tamerlane was acted on either or both of these nights uninterruptedly from 1716 to 1777; at LIF and CG, with the exception of five seasons, from 1721 to 1784. The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [see 1 May 1783]. Receipts: #155 2s. 6d. (153/4/0; 1/18/6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; mf 2, by John Dent. Prologue by the author (see text)]: A new Overture and Songs by Hook. Account-Book, 19 Nov.: Paid Dent for his farce #100. Receipts: #84 17s. (53/14; 30/18; 0/5)

Event Comment: Opera this Evening. The new Serious Opera of Medonte, intended for King's representation this Evening, is deferred till Thursday the 14th instant, on account of Sga Morigi's not being quite recovered from a very severe indisposition

Event Comment: A Serious Opera in 2 acts [1st time; by Benedetto Pasqualigo]: The Music entirely new by Bertoni

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Richard Cumberland. Author of Prologue unknown. Epilogue by the author (Public Advertiser, 30 Jan. In 1796 this was acted at CG altered by the author in 4 acts]: With new Dresses, &c. Public Advertiser, 10 Feb. 1783: This Day at Noon will be published The Mysterious Husband (18d.). [Afterpiece in place of Barnaby Brittle, announced on playbill of 27 Jan.] Receipts: #275 9s. (269/14/6; 5/14/6)

Event Comment: A Comic Opera in 2 acts, not acted these 3 years [acted 15 Mar. 1781]. The Music by Gretry. With Dances incident to the Play, new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations

Event Comment: Benefit for [W.] Bates and Mahon. Afterpiece: With an exact Representation of the Irish Giant [who had recently been exhibited in London: Charles Byrne, 1761-83], and a Leap through a Cask on Fire. Receipts: #132 5s. Receipts: #132 5s. (none listed; tickets: 132/5) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: 3rd piece: Ballet Tragi-Comique, composed by Signior Novestris [i.e. George Colman, the elder]. The Music by Gluck. With new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. Machinist and Painter-Signior Rookereschi. Tailor-Signior Walkerino

Event Comment: Benefit for the Singers and Dancers. Opera: A Comic Opera in 2 acts; the Music entirely new by Anfossi

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 20 years [not acted since 17 Jan. 1750]. With new Dresses and Decorations. Receipts: #193 11s. (169/7/0; 23/14/0; 0/2/6; tickets not come in: 0/7/6)

Event Comment: The new Comic Opera called The Poor Soldier [announced on playbill of 28 Oct.] is obliged to be deferred on account of Mrs Kennedy's Illness [see 4 Nov.]. Receipts: #126 13s. 6d. (124/9/6; 2/4/0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; tc 5]: Altered from [The Picture, by Philip] Massinger [by Henry Bate; incidental music by William Shield. Prologue by William Pearce (see text)]. With New Dresses, Scenery, &c. Afterpiece: Written by O'Keeffe. London Chronicle, 10 Nov., prints the words of the Chorus, and also of a song sung by Quick, Poor Hillario, once so jolly, and of one sung by Mrs Martyr, Would you view the loveliest rose. Receipts: #209 16s. (205/3; 4/13)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by William Jackson. MS: Larpent 638; not published; synopsis of plot in London Magazine, Dec. 1783, pp. 553-54]: With entire new Music composed by Jackson. Receipts: #146 1s. 6d. (121/6/0; 23/11/6; 0/1/6; tickets not come in: 1/2/6)

Event Comment: A Comic Opera (1st time [in London; 1st perfomed at Milan, 1782, as Fra Due Litiganti il Terzo Gode; and see 26 Feb. 1793]); The Music entirely new by Sard

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Miles Peter Andrews. Prologue and Epilogue by Edward Topham (see text)]: With new Scenery and Dresses. Public Advertiser, 26 Feb. 1784: This Day at Noon will be published The Reparation (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #161 1s. (148/16/0; 11/19/6; 0/5/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bannister. Mainpiece: Never acted here. The Music by Dr Arne. With a Grand Procession of the different Orders of the Knights of Chivalry. Public Advertiser, 6 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Bannister, No. 6, Great Russel-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #252 8s. 6d. (177/14/6; tickets: 74/14/0) (charge: #105)