Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Music [to afterpiece] by Barthelemon. I often go to both theatres, have seen Garrick and Mrs Yates, who are the first in this theatrical sphere. The former has hitherto [i.e., this season] appeared only in comedy, --his manner, his humour, and his judgment are not to be equall'd. The adoration he meets with from the English is equal to his merit. His every motion they attend to, and every turn of his eye seems to transport them. Mrs Yates [at Covent Garden] has much tragic merit. Her low voice is very tuneful, her feeling great, her action peculiarly graceful and her figure uncommonly fine. She has more power than Mrs Dancer (at Drury Lane] and more variety than Mrs Fitz-Henry, tho' less strength and compass. On the whole she is superior to the former and inferior to the latter. Barry and Mrs Dancer are engag'd here (MS Letter from Henry Grattan to Cornet Broome giving his first impressions of living in London, 27 Oct. 1767, in Folger Library). Neville MS Diary: Went into the Pit to see As You Like It a second time. Reddish did Orlando for the 1st time. He is a pretty good player. End Act I, Hearts of Oak. The Entertainment was the new Farce called a Peep Behind the Curtain. Glib by King who is the author. The piece is not unentertaining, whatever other merit it may have. The Prologue and an Address to the Town by way of Epilogue, are spoken by Mr King, the music by Barthelemon

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; co 2, by Henry Bate (later Sir Henry Bate Dudley). Music by William Shield]. Books for both Pieces to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 15 June 1779: This Day is published The Flitch of Bacon (1s.)

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: Benefit Miss Younger. By His Royal Highness's Command. Mainpiece: Written by the late Mr Dryden. [The Prince present.

Event Comment: By Their Royal Highnesses's command. [The Prince and Princess present.

Event Comment: By His Majesty's Command. The King, Queen, Prince, Princess Royal, Princess Amelia, and Princess Carolina present. Universal Spectator, 14 Dec.: On Wednesday in the Afternoon there was a Riot at Drury-Lane Playhouse. The Mob hearing that their Majesties and the rest of the Royal Family were to be at the Play in the Evening, several disorderly People forced into the House pretending to keep Places, broke and did a good deal of Damage before they could be dislodg'd

Event Comment: UUniversal Spectator, 11 Jan.: Last Wednesday his Highness the Prince went to...Drury-Lane, to see Mr Cibber's new Pastoral....The Actors were for a while prevented from performing, by the great Disturbance some of the Audience made. But on a Speech from Mr Cibber, with a Promise it should not be acted again, the Catcalls, &c. ceased, and they were suffered to go on and end the same. See also Applebee's, 11 Jan.; Egmont, Diary, III, 325; Whincop, p. 198

Event Comment: By Command of His Royal Highness. Mainpiece: Written by the late Mr Congreve. [Prince of Wales, attended by Lord Ashburnham and Colonel Townshend, attended. In Daily Post, 5 Nov., The Conscious Lovers had been announced for this day.

Event Comment: By His Majesty's Command. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir George Etheridge. [King, Queen, Prince of Wales, three eldest Princesses present.

Event Comment: By His Royal Highness's Command. [The Prince present (his second at the main piece).

Event Comment: Benefit Boman and Mrs Walter. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by Mr Congreve. [Prince of Wales present.

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Porter. By Their Majesties' Command. Pit and Boxes put together at 5s. [Their Majesties, Prince, and three eldest Princesses present.] Universal Spectator, 26 Feb.: For the Benefit of that celebrated Actress Mrs Porter, (who has not been able to appear upon the Stage this Season, from the unhappy Accident of breaking her Thigh Bone, by being overturn'd in her Chaise last Summer)

Event Comment: By His Majesty's Command. A New Oratorio in English. Composed by Mr Handel. And to be perform'd by a great Number of the best Voices and Instruments. The House to be fitted up and illuminated in a new and particular manner. Tickets One Guinea. Gallery Half a Guinea. [Text by Samuel Humphreys. Their Majesties, Prince, and three eldest Princesses present.] Daily Advertiser, 20 March: An Entertainment, perhaps, the most magnificent that has ever been exhibited on an English Theatre....The Composition of the Musick is by no means inferior to the most finish'd of that Gentleman's Works; but the Disposition of the Performers was in a Taste beyond what has been attempted. There was a very great Number of Instruments by the best Hands, and such as would properly accompany three Organs. The Pit and Orchestre were cover'd as at an Assembly, and the whole House Illuminated in a new and most beautiful manner. [See also Lady A. Irwin to Lord Carlisle, in Deutsch, Handel, pp. 309-10.

Event Comment: DDaily Advertiser, 28 March: Their Majesties, together with his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and the Princesses were again...to see Deborah...at which was likewise present one of the most numerous Audiences of Nobility and Persons of Distinction that has been ever seen in any Theatre. Egmont, Diary, I, 345: It was very magnificent, near a hundred performers, among whom about twenty-five singers. [See also Lady A. Irwin to Lord Carlisle, in Deutsch, Handel, pp. 309-10.

Event Comment: [K$King, Queen, Prince, three eldest Princesses present.

Event Comment: Composed by Mr Handel. [Prince and Princess of Orange, Princess Caroline, Mrs Pendarves, Lady Rich, and Egmont present.]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Mr Farquhar. [Prince of Wales present.]

Event Comment: Daily Advertiser, 30 March: We hear that his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales honour'd Pasquin last Night with his Presence, when it was acted the twentieth Time to a crowded Audience . . . and many thousands of People turn'd away for want of room

Event Comment: By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales [who were present], Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir Richard Steele. Admission: 5s., 3s., 2s. At 6 p.m. [For overlapping Performances at the Fairs, see 1735-36.

Event Comment: EEgmont, Diary, II, 390: To the Haymarket Playhouse, where a farce was acted called Eurydice First Hiss'd?, an allegory on the loss of the Excise Bill. The whole was a satire on Sir Robert Walpole, and I observed that when any strong passages fell, the Prince, who was there, clapped, especially when in favour of liberty. [The Princess of Wales was also present.