Event Comment: Opera, music by Sacchini &c. [not performed, according to Public Advertiser, 8 Nov., because of illness of two singers, one being Sga Sestini. A Letter by William Lee in The Public Advertiser (7 Nov.) notes that beginning in 1772 he had served refreshments in a room which served also as a passage to the boxes; alterations made to enclose the passage were made in 1773; Lee was charged #60 a year for the room (with the fire and light at his own expense). Then Elizabeth Smith, who had had charge of concessions died. In 1774 Lee was charged #160 plus #80 for coals and light. Hence Lee lost #130 and was saved only by a benefit by the graciousness of the Nobility and Gentry.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Rec'd stopages #11 13s. Paid Mr Norfolk (glazier) #48 9s.; Thompson (smith) #10 7s.; Hopkins prompter's bill #23 9s. 6d.; Ray, linen draper's bill #115 19s. 6d.; Barrow and Co., oil #99; Cubitt (tinman) #8; Vaughan (haberdasher) #4 3s. 6d. Receipts: #219 6s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: House Pacini's Night Bought by the Managers (Hopkins Diary). The last time of performing till Easter. Paid salary #416 4s. 4d.; Mr Smith for Abrams [sic] the Jew #21; Miss Abrahams [sic] #10 10s. Receipts: #262 8s. 6d

Event Comment: House (Hopkins Diary). The new Comedy of The Runaway is unavoidably oblig'd to be deferred till Saturday. Rec'd Mr Stanley's Oratorio Account, 11 nights, #327 5s. Paid Lawrence (paper hanger) #13 7s.; Renters (for 11 Oratorio nights) #88; Cubit (tinman) #7 14s. 6d.; Gardner (shoemaker) #25; Chettle (timber merchant) #22 14s. 6d.; Mist andCo. (brazier) #10 8s.; Thomson (smith) #5 16s. 6d. Barrow andCo. (oil) #106 5s.; Tallow Chandler's 8th Bill #26 12s.; Palmer's Bill of Bath for Spermacetti Candles #162 10s. (Treasurer's Book). [MacMillan quotes from Kemble's note on the playbill, a Garrick interpolation in Drugger 's last speech (IV, vii): "Abel: Did you never see me play the Fool? Face: Yes. Abel: But the wise ones say I have played the Fool long enough; So I am going to leave it off and grow melancholy." [This note does not appear in the Hopkins Diary in the Folger Library.] Receipts: #265 17s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never Performed There. On account of the Additional Airs, contracted into 3 Acts. [Public Advertiser, 30 Dec., notes that the principal omission was the conspiracy of Alonzo, Antonio, &c., and that the Masque in Act IV was removed to the concluding scene of the play.] With New Dresses, Scenery and Decorations. The Music by Purcell, John Christopher? Smith, Dr Arne and Fisher. [In afterpiece the playbill retains Delpini as Pierrot, but "[Hull] made an apology for the illness of Delpini, telling the audience that the Signor had hurt himself so much the preceding evening in performing the part of Pierrot that he could not come out of his room; the managers therefore hoped that the audience would accept of Wewitzer in the character" (Morning Chronicle, 28 Dec.). The playbill also adds Wewitzer as the Gardener; this part was perhaps omitted.] Paid Enderby, Oil Merchant, #258 17s. Receipts: #245 18s. (244.15; 1.3)

Event Comment: Braganza [announced on playbill of 15 Apr.] is oblig'd to be deferr'd on Account of Smith's Indisposition. Receipts: #121 14s. (94.12; 25.18; 1.4)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; PAST 3]: Taken from [The Winter's Tale, by] Shakespeare [altered by George Colman elder]. Afterpiece: Likewise taken from [A Midsummer-Night's Dream, by] Shakespeare. Books of both pieces to be had at the Theatre. The Musick of both pieces by the most eminent Composers [i.e. Michael Arne, Dibdin, Dr Burney, Hook, Theodore Smith, Dr Arnold]. The Characters new dressed

Event Comment: [The play was not allowed to conclude, nor was the afterpiece, All the World's a Stage, performed. "Yesterday evening, during the representation of...A Bold Stroke for a Wife, at China Hall, Rotherhithe, a party of the inhabitants, who had laid an information against the performers, rushed into the theatre, behind the scenes, and seized Mr Russell (who played the character of Colonel Feignwell), and carried him, in his stage dress, before Justice Smith, at the Rotation-Office, St Bennet's-hill, who committed him to the House of Correction, for further examination this morning" (Morning Chronicle, 24 July). What happened to Russell is not known, but because of this occurrence the theatre did not re-open until the following season, on 25 May 1778. See my article on the history of this unlucky playhouse, Theatre Notebook, VIII, 76-80.

Event Comment: Benefit for Condell, Evans & Curteen, box-keepers. Tickets sold at the Doors will not be admitted. Mainpiece: On account of the additional Airs, contracted into 3 Acts. The Music by Purcell, Smith, Arne & Fisher. [Wright is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill. And see 8 May.] Public Advertiser, 7 May: Tickets to be had of Condell, Cross-court, Bow-street, Covent Garden; of Evans, at Bromfield's, trunk-maker, No. 118, Long-acre; of Curteen, No. 11, Temple-lane, Whitefriars

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Colles, Miss Abrams & Miss Kirby. Public Advertiser, 4 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Colles at Smith's No. 10, Bow-street, the corner of Martlet Court, Covent Garden; of Miss Abrams, Little Bridges Street, Covent Garden; of Miss Kirby at Andrews's, No. 70, Long Acre. Receipts: #203 7s. (28.1; 14.16; 1.11; tickets: 158.19) (charge: #90 2s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Messink, Cushing, Wewitzer, Jones, Brunsdon, Smith, Ledger, Guard and Miss Green will be admitted. Receipts: #191 9s. 6d. (30.4.0; 2.7.6; tickets: 158.18.0)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Hastings to Smith, but on the Kemble playbill his name is deleted and a MS annotation substitutes Brereton's.] Receipts: #225 15s. 6d. (187.5.0; 37.11.6; 0.19.0)

Event Comment: Paid Smith for Canvas #32 7s. 6d. Receipts: #148 8s. (116/9/0; 31/16/6:0/2/6)

Event Comment: The Mourning Bride [announced on playbill of 21 May] cannot be performed, on account of the Indisposition of Smith. Receipts: #216 11s. (198/0/0; 17/16/0; 0/2/6; tickets not come in: 0/12/6)

Event Comment: Zara [announced on playbill of 15 Nov.] is obliged to be deferred on account of the Indisposition of Smith. Receipts: #270 18s. (242/18/0; 27/7/6; 0/12/6)

Event Comment: The Heiress [announced on playbill of 6 Mar.] is obliged to be deferred, on Account of the Indisposition of Smith. Receipts: #99 14s. (80/12/0; 17/4/6; 1/0/0; tickets not come in: 0/17/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Nix, Mrs Hedges & Miss Barnes. [As mainpiece the playbill announces The School for Scandal, but "Smith having an inflammation in his eyes, and Aickin being suddenly laid up with the gout, the play was obliged to be changed [to] The Beggar's Opera" (Morning Herald, 25 May).] Morning Chronicle, 22 May: Tickets to be had of Nix, No. 21, Crown-court, Little Russel-street, Covent Garden; of Mrs Hedges, No. 168, opposite New Bondstreet, Piccadilly; of Miss Barnes, at Cateman's, No. 52, Drury Lane. Receipts: #300 0s. 6d. (60/10/0; 19/13/6; 2/0/0; tickets: 217/17/0) (charge: #108 8s. 1d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. Tickets delivered by the young D'Egvilles, Jones, Newbold, Shaw, Dale, Purser Sen., Smith, Aberdein, Mills, Miss Tidswell, Mrs Heard, Miss Dancer, Miss Bradshaw, Mrs Haskey, will be admitted. Receipts: #241 8s. 6d. (23.4.0; 15.3.6; 0.15.0; tickets: 202.6.0)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered for this Evening [Account-Book: by Brady, Dale, the D'Egvilles, Jones, Lyons, Powell, Sherratt, Smith, Whittow, Mrs Heard, Mrs Haskey, Mrs Mills, Miss Palmer, Mrs Shaw] will be admitted. [Miss Davies's 1st appearance, billed as "A Young Lady," was at the hay, 28 July 1786.] Receipts: #279 12s. 6d. (16.1.0; 10.8.6; 0.6.0; tickets: 252.17.0)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered for this Evening [Account-Book: by Answorth, Appleby, Bayne, Daglish, Dale Jun., Gardner, George, Gillis, Keen, Pilsbury, W. Purser, Smith, Sherratt, Standen, Whittow, Woollams] will be admitted. Receipts: #303 8s. 6d. (33.11.0; 5.6.0; 0.1.6; tickets: 264.10.0)