Event Comment: HHopkins Diary: This morning a printed paper was handed about requesting the lovers of theatrical Performances to meet this evening at the theatre to insist upon the doors not being opened till five o'clock.--As soon as the curtain was up, they called for Mr Garrick, and would not suffer the play to begin. Mr King went on and told the audience, "that he was desired by the managers to tell them the doors for the future should not be opened till Five," A great Clap,--He added, "that the managers was always willing to oblige the publick in everything that was in their power; but they thought that on very full nights it would be attended with some inconvenience." They would not hear of any alteration,--he then told them, "the doors should always for the future be opened at five, unless the public applyed to have it altered." All then was quiet and the play began. Mr Weston, whose name was in the Bills for Jerry, was taken suddenly ill, and Mr W. Palmer went on for it without an apology.--called out, "Mr Holland, what is the reason we have not Mr Weston according to your publication in the Bills?" They then were told he was taken suddenly ill--"then pray make an apology for him" they said.--Another gentleman called out "Don't answer him, Mr Holland, you do him too much honor by deigning to answer him."--then all was quiet, and the play went on

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 9 years. [See 7 Feb. 1757.] Mr J. Aickin hissed.--Mr Holland and Mrs Baddeley played well (Hopkins Diary). Mr Garrick had the honour of being with the King of Denmark Tuesday morning last, and conversed with him for near half an hour on the state of the stage in England and France. The King gave him an elegant gold snuff-box studded with diamonds as a small mark of the great regard he had for his extraordinary talents (London Evening Post, 14 Oct.)

Event Comment: HHamlet, Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). Hamlet-Holland (Winston MS 10 and playbill). The Revenge deferred. Reddish ill

Event Comment: MMr Aickin hissed for being imperfect.--This night was introduced at the end of the Pantomime a Grand Masquerade in imitation of that given by the King of Denmark at the Opera House, and lighted up after the same manner--Every performer belonging to the House was on, even Mr Garrick and his brother.--The dresses were very elegant, and the whole very striking,--and gave pleasure to the Audience (Hopkins Diary). [The masquerade remained a part of Queen Mab and was also attached to Fortunatus. It evoked the following verse in Lloyd's Evening Post, Nov. 21-23]: One night last week a merry blade,@Who'd seen the Royal Masquerade,@And paid ten guineas for admission,@Began to damn the imposition;@His friend reply'd, "You may complain,@For I last Night at Drury Lane,@Saw full as much for eighteen pence,@As you got at such vast expence."-- G.S. C y

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Neville MS Diary: Saw Douglas by a Mr Brereton, being his 3rd appearance. He is a pretty figure, but wants lemon in his voice, as Mr Garrick calls it. Lady Randolph by Mrs Barry. The Entertainment was Queen Mab, with a new scene representing the late Masquerade at the Opera House, with all the extravagances and intrigue which it occasions. Was very much squeezed in the Pit. Wish I was settled in th country at a distance from these crowded diversions

Event Comment: MMr Garrick is out of danger (Winston MS 10)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author of the Mianpiece. Garrick to Bath apparently to recover from an illness (Winston MS 10). From the Public Advertiser: To Mrs Barry, upon her acting the part of Rivine in the new Tragedy [The Fatal Discovery]: Grosvenor-Square, March 8

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Comedy of 3 Acts [by George Colman] never performed. [In the Shakespearean Pageant, with figures from seventeen of his plays, the chief effectiveness lay with the Musicians who ushered in each group with appropriate music: Martial Music-The Roman Characters of Coriolanus and Julius Caesar; Soft Music-Antony and Cleopatra; Grand Music, Old English Characters-King John, Richard III, Henry VIII: Magical Music, "above, about, underneath" for Prospero; Macbeth's Music; Fairy Music-Oberon and Titania; Solemn Music for Tragic Muse accompanied by Othello, Hamlet, the Ghost, Mad Ophelia and Lear with Cordelia; Dead March in Saul-Juliet's Bier with attendants; Allegro for the Comic Muse-Falstaff, Touchstone, Launcelot, Malvolio; Andante-Florizel and Perdita, Portia Antonio and Bassanio; Flourish-for Car drawn by the muses carrying Shakespeare's Bust; Final Song by Mrs Mattocks, "Sweetest Bard that Ever Sung, Nature's glory, Fancy's Child--." The Prelude is, in print, entirely favorable to Garrick's effort at Stratford. But it could be rendered in a mercilessly ironical manner if the three participating actors so chose. Mainpiece reviewed in the Freeholder's Magazine, Oct.] Receipts: #224 10s

Event Comment: The Afterpiece a New Pantomime [by Henry Woodward, satirizing Garrick's Jubilee] with New Music by Fisher. New Scenes painted by Messrs Dahl and Richards. Nothing under Full Prices will be taken. [Full Prices notice throughout the run of the pantomime this season. Town and Country Magazine (from Theatre No XIII) comments: "In the Pageant scene several of the characters that walk at Drury Lane are highly ridiculed, particularly Mark Antony and Cleopatra, who dance off with their black retinue to the playing of casquets." The scene closes with the descent of the statue of the late Mr Rich under the name of Lun, and the Harlequins all pay him honour.] Receipts: #250 6s

Event Comment: This Comedy was written by Mr Kelly as soon as the Curtain was drawn up they began to hiss--a party was made against it--because he was suspected of Writing for the Court party. Much hissing. Mr Garrick call'd for. No play &c. Cry'd out, at last the play was got thro' with much hissing and Groaning When the play was given out again One Party was for it no more and Kelly's party was for it again so that no play at all was given out (Hopkins Diary). [See Criticism in "British Theatre" article, London Magazine, March, also an extended account of the attack upon the piece. This occurs also in the Town and Country Magazine, which mentions that since the curtain was not drawn up for the farce the audience received a refund.

Event Comment: Benefit for Reinhold. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. [Tenducci advertised to play Arbaces for "positively the last time this season."] Tomorrow Isabella; or, the Fatal Marriage [which seems to indicate Garrick's adaption]. Charges #73 11s. Balance to Reinhold #55 15s. 6d., plus 90 10s. from tickets (Box 259; Pit 127; Gallery 67) (Account Book). Receipts: #55 15s. 6d

Event Comment: Doors open by 5 o'clock. Play to begin at 6 o'clock. Winston MS 10: 7 Sept. Garrick has given two silver cups to be play'd for at cricket between Chertsey and Hampton. [The Town and Country Magazine for this month (from Theatre No XX) gives much about actors employed at both patent theatres, their relationships and articles of agreement.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Desire. Garrick return'd last night from Bath (Dr Burney's News Clippings-Winston MS 10)

Event Comment: New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations for Mainpiece (playbill). This Masque was got up in a Superb manner the Scenery exquisitely fine & greatly applauded--. Miss Hayward play'd Emmeline very bad (Hopkins Diary). Mainpiece: Altered from Dryden by Garrick. First time performed. Music Purcell and Arne. New Overture by Arne

Event Comment: great applause to the Play (Hopkins Diary). Mainpiece: A tragedy never before acted [by Mrs Celisia]. Prologue (by Whitehead)-Reddish; Epilogue (by Garrick)-Mrs Barry. New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations (Winston MS 10). [The Gentleman's Magazine for Feb. reviewed the mainpiece in great detail, concluding: "A combat between two knights in the days of chivalry and honour, not to determine whether a person accused is innocent or guilty, but whether a person under the infamy of acknowledged guilt shall suffer, is, as the Scotch peasant says emphatically of his pupil, a phenomenon. It is, however, but justice to Mrs Barry, to say, that in performing the part allotted her in this piece, she rises like perfection out of chaos, and therefore those who have not yet seen it represented should by no means be deterred by these strictures on the composition, supposing them to be just."

Event Comment: Rec'd Stopages #18 14s. Paid Salary list--#496 18s. 6d; Mrs Abington on cloaths acct #2; Paid balance of Mr D. Garrick's Night 2nd inst. #118 14s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #183 7s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The Characters in Mainpiece "New Dress'd" (playbill). Rec'd Mr C. Roberts half year's rent to Mich. Last, #5; Paid Mr C. Roberts (shoemaker) #11 6s. 10d.; Mr G. Garrick on Acct #100; Master Thomson 13 nights (12th incl.) #3 5s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #211 17s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Paid Mr G. Garrick on Acct, #100; Miss Berkley lent per order, #1 1s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #166 17s. (Treaurer's Book)

Event Comment: March 3 [or 23] Garrick is remov'd from Southampton St. to the Adelphi (Winston MS 10). Paid Dr Nares and Mr Cooke's 8 Boys in the Garter (8 nights) #24; Mr Bibb (sword cutler) #2 9s.; Mr Dibdin's draft on the managers, #50 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #181 15s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [This New Comedy (by Mrs Elizabeth Griffith) seems not to have been performed this night, according to the author's Preface to her Edition of 1772. Shuter had been unattentive and absent from many rehearsals]: At length though late [in the season] a day was appointed for the representation, and on that morning Mr Shuter appeared at rehearsal, pretty much in the same state as before, and confessed himself incapable of performing his part, that night. Upon which the play was oblig'd to be further postponed, and handbills were sent about at noon, to advertise town of the disappointment....A further final day was afterwards determined on, but the audience being out of humour at their former disappointment, called Mr Shuter to account for it, on his first appearance; which threw him into such confusion, that he was not able to get the better of it, throughtout the whole performance...in the hurry of his spirits the actor not only forgot his part, the deficiency of which he endeavoured to supply with his own dialect, but also seemed to lose all idea of the character he was to perform; and made the Governor appear in a light which the author never intended: that of a mean, ridiculous buffoon. [Mrs Griffith concluded her preface by relating how her friends stood by the piece, but two or three in the gallery, when it was given out again objected and threw an apple at the chandeliers, which so perturbed the management that the play was withdrawn. She therefore published it by subscription, prefixing the names of about 440 subscribers, persons of the first quality, including James Boswell, Edmund Burke, Col. Burgoyne, the Duke of Devonshire, David Garrick, Mrs Montague, William Richardson, and a host of writers, players, and people of fashion. This list provides a pretty good roster of those who filled the boxes and part of the pit of both theatres at the time.] Paid Younger #2 2s. for the license for A Wife in the Right (Account Book). Receipts: #218 12s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Mr Ximenes...is a very spirited and very chaste performer (Theatrical Review, 13 March). This Day Publish'd (in Quarto, price 2s.) Sanitas, Daughter to Aesculapius, to David Garrick, Esq, a Poem

Event Comment: Benefit for Barry. Tickets deliver'd for King Arthur will be taken. Part of Pit laid into Boxes. Ladies send servants by 4 o'clock. Paid Supers, Kettle Drum, & practices to King Arthur #2 16s.; Printer's Bill #8 12s. (Treasurer's Book). Mary Martin to J. M. Rebow, 6 April (MS correspondence in Washington State University Library): There has not been any mention of Barry's Benefit in ye Papers till to Day when it is advertis'd for ye 23rd of this Month, & ye Play. After...ye Constant Couple, which I imagine is no very desirable thing to see so late in ye Season, therefore pray tell me if I must send ye Tickets back directly, or may keep them till you are in Town again, which I hope you certainly will be before that time; I find we are not ye only unfortunates that Mr Johnson disappoints of Places, for that it is his Constant Practice not to let a single Place, till all his Five Guinea Chaps are serv'd even if you are at ye Play House, & apply ye Instant ye Play is given out, for which reason Mr Garrick has desir'd Gentlemen will Write to him upon such Occasions, & it is now very commonly done. Receipts: #264 11s. 6d. Charges: #67. Profits to Barry: #197 11s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Proprietor of Marlebone Gardens, Mr Arnold, summoned to Bow St. to pay penalty of #5 for causing Fireworks to be made contrary to the Act of 9th and 10th of William III. Opinion of the Bench he was not fineable (Public Advertiser). Letter to Garrick in consequence of his moving the Court of the King's Bench for leave to file an information against author of Love in the Suds &c. will shortly be publish'd by D. Kendk. Was publish'd 7 July Folio 2s. 6d. an quarto 1s. 6d. 2nd edn. (Winston MS 10, from Burney News Clippings.