Event Comment: 2nd piece: Books of the Opera to be had at the Theatre. [3rd piece in place of The Doldrum, advertised on playbill of 3 May.] Receipts: #195 15s. (194.2.6; 1.12.6)

Event Comment: 2nd piece: By Permission of the Proprietors of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Event Comment: 1st piece: Not acted these 2 years. 2nd piece: By Permission of the Proprietors of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Event Comment: [Mrs Gilbert was from the Birmingham theatre. Epilogue to 2nd piece not listed on playbill, but "The Epilogue was vociferously called for, and spoken by Vapid" (Oracle, 24 Sept.).] Receipts: #215 3s. 6d. (198.10.0; 16.13.6)

Event Comment: "Nothing reduces acting to so miserable a show of mechanism as the constant applause at particular speeches...Mrs Siddons labours under a disadvantage [in dl theatre]. that she is not everywhere heard. To be so she would strain her voice unnaturally. She does not choose to make the sacrifice, and preserves her excellence with the near, whatever she may lose to the remote" (Oracle, 27 Sept.). Receipts: #372 0s. 6d. (280.13.0; 89.18.6; 1.9.0)

Event Comment: [The playbill states that Elliston was appearing "by Permission of the Manager of the Theatre Royal Bath, and for the Last Time." But see 12 Oct.] Receipts: #207 18s. 6d. (197.11.6; 10.7.0)

Event Comment: [Dowton was from the Tunbridge Wells theatre.] Receipts: #292 18s. 6d. (198.10.6; 90.4.0; 4.4.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 20 years [never previously acted at this theatre]. Receipts: #462 8s. 6d. (340.18.0; 118.12.6; 2.18.0)

Event Comment: [Denman was from the Margate theatre.] Receipts: #218 0s. 6d. (149.10.6; 65.12.6; 2.17.6)

Event Comment: [Afterpiece in place of The Wedding Day, advertised on playbill of 28 Oct.] Ballet: (1st time), composed by Giacomo? Gentili [with music by Giuseppe Capelletti]. Receipts: #325 19s 6d. (222.15.6; 101.11.0; 1.13.0)

Event Comment: [This was Holland's 1st appearance in London; he was from the Bath theatre (see Thespian Dictionary, 1805, and hay, 23 Dec. 1793). Afterpiece in place of The Devil to Pay, advertised on playbill of 29 Oct.] Receipts: #400 11s. (335.6.6; 65.0.6; 0.4.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by John Cartwright Cross. MSS: Larpent MS 1139 (as licensed for the hay in Aug. 1796, but, although advertised for performance on 31 successive nights, not acted there), and Larpent MS 1142 (as licensed for dl); not published; synopsis of plot in Morning Herald. 7 Nov.]: The Overture and Musick by Reeve. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Receipts: #320 4s. (213.14.6; 104.10.0; 1.19.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Samuel James Arnold]: The Overture and Musick by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Receipts: #224 7s. 6d. (121.19.0; 99.9.0; 2.19.6)

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. "An elegant fire-place was introduced into the Royal Stage Box at Covent Garden Theatre on Wednesday evening last, to the great surprise and no less comfort of their Majesties" (Morning Herald, 17 Dec.). Receipts: #399 12s. 6d. (393.3.6; 6.9.0)

Event Comment: In consequence of the very frequent abuses discovered to be practised at this Theatre, in respect to transferable Tickets of Admission, it has become indispensably requisite to adopt the former Regulation of having those Tickets left at the Doors on the Evening of Performance, and returned next day to the Owners of them

Event Comment: By Authority of the Lord Chamberlain. Mainpiece: 2nd Time [see 28 Mar. 1796. Prologue by the author (see text)]. The Music composed by Callcott. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Tickets to be had of Wilkinson, No. 16, Lisle-street, Leicester-square. Books of the Tragedy to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Among the Principal Instrumental Performers are G. Ashley, Leader of the Band; C. Ashley, Principal Violoncello; Wm. Parke, Sarjant, J. Mahon, Boyce, Bridgtower, Parkinson, Lavenu, Taylor, W. Ware, Flack, Dressler, Gwilliam, Nicks, [the] Munros, I. Sharp, W. Sharp, M. Sharp, J. Sharp, Archer, Cobham, Jackson, Wood, Coyle, Cornish, Purney, Leffler, Woodham, Piele, [the] Cantelos, Skillern, Beale, Lloyd, Franki, Simpson, Jenkinson, &c.; J. Ashley, Organ; R. Ashley, Double Drums (used at Westminster Abbey). The Chorusses will be numerous and complete. The whole under the Direction of Ashley. Boxes 6s. Pit 3s. 6d. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon at the Office in Hart-street. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout oratorio season]. Books of the Performance (with the imprimatur of E. Macleish) to be had at the Theatre. [Sga Galli did not sing in The Messiah when it was originally performed in Dublin in 1742, or in London in 1743, in which year the cg oratories under Handel were established.] "I had the curiosity to go, and heard [Sga Galli] sing, 'He was despised and rejected of men' in the Messiah. Of course her voice was cracked and trembling, but it was easy to see her school was good; and it was pleasing to observe the kindness with which she was received, and listened to; and to mark the animation and delight with which she seemed to hear again the music in which she had formerly been a distinguished performer. The poor old woman had been in the habit of coming to me annually for a trifling present; and she told me on that occasion that nothing but the severest distress should have compelled her so to expose herself, which after all did not answer its end, as she was not paid according to her agreement" (Mount-Edgcumbe, pp. 19-20). [At the rehearsal, 1 Mar., I know that my Redeemer liveth sung by Mme Mara; Comfort ye my people by Braham; But@thou didst not leave by Miss Poole (Morning Herald, 2 Mar.).] "The chorusses are not such as would give satisfaction to a musical amateur: in this department we must endeavour to be content with noise and bawling, instead of sense and science:--they are not, however, worse than usual" (Monthly Visitor, Mar.1797, p. 262)

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer. [1st piece originally acted in 1767 as Dido. Prologue by David Garrick.] 3rd piece [1st time; INT 1, consisting of 3 tales in verse inserted into a continuous verse narrative]: As intended for Representation at the Theatre Royal, Hay-market, by George Colman Ynger. Morning Herald, 3 Apr. 1797: This Day is Published My Nightgown and Slippers (2s. 6d.). True Briton, 25 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Palmer, No. 39, Great Pulteney-street, Golden-square. Receipts: #491 16s. (152.3; 77.16; 11.16; tickets: 250.1) (charge: #232 18s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Siddons. 1st piece: Never acted in this Theatre. [Prologue by George Colman, elder. Monologue by Hester Lynch Piozzi (European Magazine, May 1797, p. 343).] True Briton, 12 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Siddons, No. 49, Great Marlborough-street. "The scenery destroyed much of the effect of the tragedy; for the characters are supposed to be 'steeped in poverty to the very lips;' and yet their apartments would have become a family in the meridian of wealth and prosperity. Mrs Siddons was also too well dressed for Mrs Wilmot" (Monthly Mirror, May 1797, p. 308). "In the scene in which [Mrs Siddons's] son having put into her hands a casket to keep, and she having touched a spring it opens and she sees jewels, her husband (Kemble) enters, and in despair exclaims, 'Where shall we get bread?' With her eyes fixed on the jewels, she runs to him, knocks the casket against her breast and exclaims, 'Here! Here!' In Mrs Siddons's tone and in her look there was an anticipation of the murder which was to take place" (Robinson, I, 39). Receipts: #618 2s. (386.8.6; 43.19.0; 2.4.0; tickets: 185.10.6) (charge: #211 1s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Knight. 3rd piece: Illumination, &c. as 18 May. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. True Briton, 1 May: Tickets to be had of Mr and Mrs Knight, No. 47, Rathbone Place. Receipts: #221 9s. 6d. (93.0.6; 17.8.6; tickets: 111.0.6)

Event Comment: The Last Night of the Subscription Operas. Boxes for the Remainder of the Season to be taken at th Office of the Theatre

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. 4th piece: Not acted these 7 years [acted 29 Mar. 1792]. Morning Herald, 12 May: Tickets to be had of Bannister, No. 7, Suffolk-street, Charing-Cross. Receipts: #259 6s. (60.16.0; 51.17.6; 4.6.0; tickets: 142.6.6) (charge: #211 7s. 6d.)