Event Comment: Benefit Taswell, Ray, Leigh, Miss Pitt, and Miss Royer

Event Comment: Receipts: #138 10s. 6d. Paid three days salary at #85 1s. 11d. per diem, #255 5s. 9d. [Paid the following items which occur regularly each Saturday pay day during the 37 weeks of the 1773-74 season: Lampmen #2 12s.; Billstickers #3 12s.; Handbills 8s.; Candlemen #3 18s.; Carpenter's Bills #8 14s. 6d.; Taylor's Bill #8 11s. 8d.; Mantua Maker's Bill #5 6s.; J. Stevens 18s; Mrs Abington's Cloaths #1; Mr Carver 11 days #11; Mr Royer 2 weeks #9; Mr J. French on act #8 8s.; Supernumeraries and Kettle Drummers #3 14s. (Treasurer's Book). N.B. This pay day was based on a three-day acting week. The average paid out for each of these items over the season, and the total for each computed on this average was as follows. [No further mention will be made of these items this season.] @ Average per week Total for season@Lampmen #3 2s. #113 14s.@Billstickers #2 14s. #99 18s.@Handbills 12s. #22 4s.@Carpenter's #5 10s. #203 10s.@Taylor's #10 2s. #373 14s.@Mantua Maker's #2 10s. #92 10s.@J. Stevens 18s. #33 6s.@Mrs Abington Cloaths #1 12s. 4d. #60@Carver at 1 per diem #189@Royer #4 10s. #166 10s.@Sups and Kettle Drum at #3 10s. per diem #661@Candlemen #7 14s. #277 4s.

Event Comment: New Overture and Pieces of Music Between the Acts. Music by Barthelemon. New Scenes, Habits and Decorations. The Scenes designed by DeLoutherberg, and painted by Messrs French, Royer, and Greenwood. Books of the songs and Chorusses to be had at the Theatre. This piece is got up in a most Superb manner. The Scenery is beyond description fine -& the whole Performance tho' the most complicated upon the stage went off with uncommon Applause. Mrs Abington played finely--Mr Slingsby & Sga Hidou danc'd for the first time & were Amazingly well Rec'ed. The Ballets are very Grand (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording.] Rec'd stopages #17 18s.; Paid salary list #567 16s.; J. French on Acct #5 5s. (Treasurer's Book). Mainpiece: Never performed before, by John Burgoyne. [The review in the Westminster Magazine, Nov. 1774, tells the plot, and concludes: "After some superb exhibitions of transparent scenery, several characteristic airs, and elegant dances, Mr Oldworth...proclaims Maria his only daughter and gives her to Sir Harry. After a dance of Cupids, Hymen, &c....offering them eternal wreaths, the Druid of the Oaks, freed by the present powers of Beauty from that sequestered habitation to which by mystic spells he had long been doomed, appears to ratify their union, and astonishes the spectators by his magic influence, in a glorious vision of that felicity the virtues of the happy pair had so justly insured. An admirable vaudeville, and a grand dance, conclude the dramatic entertainment....Had it not appeared obvious that the whole was intended as a mere vehicle for the splendid spectacle, we do not suppose, in spite of the managers Orders and Puffs, that the author's labors would have been tolerated. The very excellent scenery, however, of the ingenious Mr Loutherbourg preserved this piece from that damnation, which as a dramatic production, it justly merited."] Receipts: #263 14s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Atkins, Blurton, J. Ansell, Farley, Helme, Pilon, Rolles, Rowson, Royer, Walker will be admitted. Receipts: #343 8s. (180.2.6; 8.17.6; tickets: 154.8.0)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the fact that it was advertised in the London Gazette, No. 3122, 10-14 Oct. 1695, indicates that it was probably acted not later than September 1695. Three songs were published separately: O how you protest, possibly set by Henry Purcell and sung by Mrs Knight; 'Twas within a Furlong, the words by Thomas D'Urfey, set by Henry Purcell, and sung by the Girl [Miss Cross]; and Man is for the woman made, the words by Pierre Motteux and set by Henry Purcell, are in Deliciae Musicae, The Third Book, 1696. See also Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), xix-xx. Preface, Edition of 1696: Notwithstanding the many Accidents that concurr'd to the Ruin of this Play, it succeeded above my Expectations: And I must own my self infinitely oblig'd to the Town, in receiving so favourably, what I at first never design'd for the Stage. Gildon, English Dramatick Poets, p. 121: This particular Play met with pretty good Success, for the Season of the Year, considering it the first Essay by a Young Writer, unacquainted with the Town. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 18: Sullen: Mock-Marriage, a young Fellows of the Town, a Retainer, and kind of Pensioner to the Stage. Ramble: What was it's Fate? Sullen: Damn'd, Damn'd

Event Comment: A new Entertainment of Vocal and Instrumental Musick (after the manner of an Opera...the vocal part being compos'd by Mr Weldon, and the Instrumental by Mr Dieuport. [Text by Pierre Motteux.

Event Comment: [By Pierre Motteux. Premiere.

Event Comment: Never Acted before. [By Pierre Motteux.] By Subscription. Admission to boxes and pit by subscribers' tickets only; first gallery 5s., upper gallery 2s

Event Comment: We hear that the play Venice Preserv'd is in Rehearsal at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden, and is to be perform'd on Friday next; and that the part of Pierre will be attempted by a Gentleman who never appear'd on any stage before (General Advertiser). [This month was published A Letter to a certain Patentee, in which the Conduct of Managers is impartially considered, and a few Periods bestowed on those darlings of the Publick, Mr G k, Mr F te, Mrs P d, &c." Addressed to Rich it is criticism of his personnel policies as manager, with side comments on his morals, and some on his performances: of his Orpheus and Eurydice, the author agrees that three flaming scenes of Hell, now left out, should have been omitted from the beginning. The Serpent, however, generally behaves himself so well, that "I have had more real pleasure in his appearance than if he had been a living one." Dislikes his replacing Ryan with Hallam, dislikes his abuse of Mrs Pritchard, criticizes his casting Hippisley as Polonius, since Polonius requires more than Hippisley can give, the latter being able to act only in the comic way.

Event Comment: On Tuesday last Information was laid before Justice Fielding by a Tradesman in Westminster, that one of his Apprentices had robbed him, in order to equip himself for acting a Play, and that the said Play was to be acted that Evening by several Apprentices, and other idle Persons, at the old Tennis-Court in James St. Upon this the Justice despatched Mr. Welch in the Evening with a Party of Soldiers to apprehend the Persons concerned in the Representation of the Play, which was the Tragedy of Venice Preserved. Jaffier, Pierre, Belvidera, and most of the principal Characters, were taken, and some of them, particularly Belvidera, were brought in their Theatrical attire before the Justice. The Men all appeared to be young Apprentices and the Woman a young Milliner; wherefore the Justice was unwilling to proceed against them as Rogues and Vagabonds, as they are made by the last Vagrant Act; in which case they must have been committed to Bridewell, which might have proved their Ruin; He treated them therefor as guilty of an unlawful assembly, and a common Nuisance; for which they were either bound for their good Behavior, or committed for want of Sureties, and soon after discharged. It was sworn before the Justice that Sunday had been the usual Day of rehearsing their Parts (General Advertiser, 17 Aug.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; t 5, by Hannah More, based partly on Gabrielle de Vergy, by Pierre Laurent Buirette de Belloy. Prologue and Epilogue by David Garrick (see text)]: With New Scenes, Dresses, &c. Public Advertiser, 19 Dec. 1777: This Day at Noon is published Percy (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #215 (212.12.6; 2.7.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Pope. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by James Cobb, based on La Fausse Suivante; ou, Le Fourbe Puni, by Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux. Prologue by the author (Knapp, 117). Larpent MS 476; not published. In 1780 this was acted at the hay as The Female Captain]. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. Public Advertiser, 15 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Miss Pope, Little Russel-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #202 10s. (54.14; 17.6; 1.12; tickets: 128.18) (charge: #65 17s. 2d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer. Mainpiece [1st time; C 3, by George Colman, the elder, altered from The Mutual Deception, by Joseph Atkinson, which was based on Le Jeu de l'Amour et du Hasard, by Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux, and 1st acted at the Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, 2 Mar. 1785. Prologue by the author (.European Magazine, Sept. 1786, p. 166). Author of Epilogue unknown]. Afterpiece: Never acted at this Theatre. [Prologue and Epilogue by David Garrick.] "This play, originally French, was translated by an Officer (the plot of which may be found in The Man's the Master, as well as in many other English plays and farces) who, with some few additions, changed it into five acts, and called it The Mutual Deception (which is now in print), but was represented in Ireland with little or no success. This Comedy, however, has undergone many very masterly alterations, and received many additions by the able hand of the attentive Manager of this Theatre" (Public Advertiser, 30 Aug.). Public Advertiser, 6 May 1788: To be published May 7, Tit for Tat (1s.)

Event Comment: 2nd piece: Never [previously] acted in this Kingdom [by Robert Jephson, altered by the author from his The Hotel; or, The Servant with Two Masters, which was based on Il Servitore di due Padroni, by Carlo Goldoni, and on Arlequin Valet de deux Maitres, by Jean Pierre de Ours de Mandajors, and 1st acted at Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, 8 May 1783]. Oracle, 18 Mar. 1791: This Day is published Two Strings to Your Bow (1s). Receipts: #210 3s. 6d. (205.17.0; 4.6.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Jordan. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Simon, based partly on La Bonne Mere, by Jean Pierre Claris deFlorian; incidental music by Johann Gottlieb Nicolai. Larpent MS 940; not published]: To conclude with a Rural Breakfast [a representation of that given by the Countess of Buckinghamshire for the Prince of Wales at her villa near London (Genest, VII, 53)], and a Dance by the Characters. Morning Herald, 31 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Jordan, No. 14, Somerset-street, Portman-square. Receipts: #548 9s. 6d. (216.8.6; 30.2.0; 5.9.0; tickets: 296.10.0) (charge: #153 5s. 10d.)