Event Comment: Written by Mr Hume. Author of Douglas. Went off wth. great Applause (Cross). A New Tragedy. The Music composed by Dr Boyce. As this is the 1st night of representation, and much depends upon keeping the scenes clear, 'tis hoped no gentleman will be offended that he cannot be admitted upon the stage or into the orchestra. [See Theatrical Review, 1757 and Beginning of 1758 for contemporary comment on source, and at act-by-act progress of play. Judicial but appreciative. Finds some rant and bombast, as well as inconsistency, in Lysander 's characterization: "If...not...known that the author of Agis is the same to whom we are indebted for Douglas, one would not have suspected those two tragedies to have sprung from the same pen...Agis inspires us with admonition; Douglas speaks forcibly to our softer feelings. In Douglas he has shown himself perfect master of nature and the human heart: in Agis of contrivance in point of plot and incidents. What a masterpiece may not we expect from such talents when united in one tragedy!"] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bellamy. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Tickets delivered for The Humorous Lieutenant will be taken. Receipts: #113 5s. Charges #63. Income from Tickets #152 5s. (boxes 339; pit 364; gallery 129). Profit to Mrs Bellamy #202 10s. [Her daily salary was #2 2s.; on this night she cleared more than 4 months' wages at 24 acting days per month.] Two New Renters came in: Solomon Paul Juliot and Francis Wilson at 1 share each. Rec'd of Benj. Read for 6 Box tickets for the 2nd inst. #1 10s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dunstall and Miss Ferguson. Tickets sold at the doors will not be admitted. Receipts: #37 1s. Charges: #63. Dunstall paid the whole deficiency of #25 19s. from his tickets: #140 5s. (boxes 108; pit 685; gallery 105). Miss Ferguson cleared from her tickets #20 15s. (boxes 1; pit 68; gallery 103) (Account Book)

Event Comment: At Dunstall@Vaughan@Warner Booth, George Inn Yard, Smithfield. An excellent band of music is provided. Care will be taken to keep the passages to the booth clean and clear, and they will be well lighted. Twelve noon to 10 p.m

Event Comment: At Yates@Shuter Booth. Great care will be taken to provide a proper Guard, to keep the Passages to and from the hall clear, that the Nobility and Gentry may pass without interruption. Noon to 10 p.m

Event Comment: Receipts. #132 18s. 6d. British Chronicle: Rich has cleared #5000 besides his Expenses by the run of The Beggar's Opera (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: Benefit for Costollo, Mrs Pitt, Stede. Tickets deliver'd by Mrs Stephens will be taken. Mainpiece: Not Acted these 2 Years. [See 9 May 1759.] Afterpiece: Not acted these 6 years. [See 7 May 1756.] Receipts: #54 19s. 6d. plus income from tickets: Stede #36 10s. (Box 20; Pit 120; Gallery 135); Costollo #80 11s. (Box 77; Pit 340; Gallery 103); Mrs Pitt #52 18s. (Box 6; Pit 178; Gallery 247); Mrs Stephens #11 10s. (Box 17; Pit 23; Gallery 38). Total from tickets #181 9s. (Box 120; Pit 661; Gallery 523). [The charges were borne by Stede, Costollo and Mrs Pitt. Mrs Stephens receipts were clear. Of the charges Costollo bore half, and Stede and Mrs Pitt each bore one quarter.] Charges: #63 (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Baker, Miles, Miss Young. Tickets deliver'd out by Mrs Ferguson will be taken. No building on Stage. Receipts: #36 17s. plus income from tickets: Miles, #60 13s. (Box 103; pit 182; Gallery 76); Baker, #41 6s. (Box 69; Pit 125; Gallery 53); Miss Young #32 10s. (Box 28; Pit 98; Gallery 108). [All shared equally in the charges.] Mrs Ferguson's income of #18 16s. from tickets was clear (Box 9; Pit 61; Gallery 74) (Account Book). Charges: #64 8s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Cooke. By Particular Desire. Tickets delivered for the Busy Body will be taken. [Account Book indicates Receipts: #26 1s. 6d. plus #53 14s. from tickets: (Box 61; Pit 165; Gallery 137). A staff of 22 servants, plus the women dressers and charwomen were paid #3 13s. 2d. for operating the theatre this night. The deficit carried into the summer after this night was #216 19s. 10d. This deficit plus summer expenses produced an encumbrance of #359 12s. 9d. to be met at the start of the 1761-62 season. Rich upon ten occasions withdrew under Account I from the treasury #2743. From this account he put back into the treasury upon three occasions (May 8, 31; June 23) #600. So over and above the #6 which the Rich family received daily in Account 76, Rich tucked away #2143 in Account I. In addition his carpentry bills to Mr Gom for work at Cowley were paid from theatrical funds. His cut from Account 76 at #5 per night was #810. So apparently Rich cleared #2953 this season despite the fact that it ran only 162 nights, and that George II's death occurred in a money-making part of the season.] Charges: #42 (Account Book)

Event Comment: [D$DuBellamy, as would appear from a letter to the Printer of the Public Advertiser, 20 Sept. "Being at the Opera House last week to see the Conscious Lovers and As You Like It, not to mention the various and allowed excellencies of each performer, I was most agreeably surprized at the songs, in the bills said to be sung by a Gentleman, which indeed his genteel figure and polite address, at first sight well authenticated; but for the songs, viz. If Love's a Sweet Passion,--Blow, Blow Thou Winter's Wind,--with some others I must confess I never heard the like; his voice was finely masculine, strong, sweet, clear and articulate; his manner not servilely confined to the pedantic stiffness of some, or the affectation of others; in a word he sung like a Gentleman; and the sound, as Milton elegantly expresses it, 'Floated the Wings of silence.' This is not intended (by doing justice to Mr D. B@@y) to depreciate any....I am told he has applied to Mr Beard, with what success I know not, [hopes he will be one of the new singers at Covent Garden] signed T. S."]

Event Comment: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for boxes to be had from Johnston at Stage Door; No money received at Stage Door, nor any returned after Curtain rises. Play will begin at exactly six o'clock; The passage from the Strand up Catherine Street to Drury Lane Theatre will be clear for Carriages. Paid Renters #8 (Drury Lane Treasurer's Book). [A constant expense nightly for 191 nights amounting to #1528 for the season. Will not be further itemized.] Receipts: #82 12s. 6d. (Drury Lane Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Mr Beard's night. Paid chorus singers 4 nights in Faustus #3 15s. 10d. (Account Book) [This was a clear' benefit as indicated by an item in the Account Book for 15 Dec.: Paid Mr Beard the total amount of the house on the 1st inst. as per agreement #234 14s. 6d.'] Receipts: #234 14s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bryan (prompter), Hallam, Buck. Mainpiece: By Desire. Charges #64 5s. [Deficit to beneficiaries #16 4s. This deficit was paid by Hallam and Buck. Bryan seems to have had his ticket money clear. From Tickets, Bryan #16 16s. (Box 10; Pit 46; Gallery 74); Hallam #30 9s. (Box 22; Pit 91; Gallery 113); Buck #47 7s. (Box 17; Pit 188; Gallery 140).] (Account Book). Receipts: #48 1s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Neville MS Diary: Shuter is a comical dog, a disturbance arising among the gods, he was obliged to stop and looking up to the Gallery asked, Well, are all affairs settled above?" During the noise Filch went off after singing--the gods encored the song. Shuter said You have frightened him so that he has lost his voice" but beckoning to Weston to return and sing. Weston steals Doll Trapes scarf in a new manner; he makes her drop it, etc. and pretending to do something about his knee, till she is out of sight, takes it up, saying I take it with all my spirit. When Macheath went to trial, Shuter cried, "Clear the way there--knock down that old woman with the apples.

Event Comment: Paid Colman the clear receipt of last Monday Night for the Oxonian, and the Alterations of The Rehearsal and King Lear, #230 6s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Full Prices. Hopkins MS Memorandum Book: By the Manager's order I ask'd Mr Joseph? Reed what he had a benefit for the next night. His answer was The Managers give it him for his withdrawing Dido and on account of The Register Office and to clear them from all demands he had upon them whatever

Event Comment: Benefit for Powell. Part of pit will be laid into boxes, where servants will be allowed to keep places. Ladies are desired to send servants by 3 o'clock. [Powell paid no House charges, so received a clear benefit of #170 19s. plus #109 5s. from disposing of 439 combined Box and Pit tickets (Accoudt Book).] Receipts: #170 19s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Powell. Part of Pit laid into Boxes. Ladies desired to send servants by 4 o'clock. Tickets deliver'd for Monday the 16th will be taken. [This was a "Clear Benefit" for which Powell receiv'd #178 8s. plus #105 from sale of 420 Box tickets, and was charged nothing for the House, Wardrobe, Drums or Candles.] Receipts: #178 8s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid Powell the clear receipt of his Night the 15th Inst.: #178 8s. (Account Book). Receipts: #224 11s. 16d. (Account book)

Event Comment: [See note for 9 Jan. 1770 of a mild riot this night during best scene of The Orphan.] Afterpiece: A New Opera [by George Alexander Stevens] the Music composed by Mr Fisher. Books of the entertainment to be had at the theatre. Gave Duke of Glocester's Footmen #2 2s. (Account Book). [Afterpiece a roaring burlesque of Lee's Rival Queens. Larpent MS 302 includes Semi Chorus, Grand Chorus, and Perdiccas, not listed in the Playbill. The Court awakes with total hangover. Alexander orders a pot of coffee to clear his head. Thais begs him to leave the gout giving juice-Retire with me @ In my Chinese pavilion, drink some Tea." Afterpiece reviewed inthe Freeholder's Magazine for Jan.] Mr Shuter and Mrs Mattocks gave great satisfaction in their different characters; the words of the songs were written by Mr George Alexander Stephens, author of the celebrated Lecture upon Heads, and several other whimsical productions; and the airs which had Uncommon merit, were composed by Mr Fisher, a young genius, who has hitherto been but little known in the musical world. Receipts: #215 8s. 6d

Event Comment: MMiss Weller a Pupil of Dr Arne first appear'd and-(Hopkins Diary). London Evening Post, 11 Jan.; A pupil of Dr Arne and scarecely 19 years of age; her figure is that of the tallest of the middle size, well proportioned and at present possesses a dignity and grace which when habit brings her to perfection cannot fail of being universally admired. Her face is oval with an aqualine nose and though from the timidity of a first appearance the rest of her features lost that necessary animation, yet there were periods when she could disposses herself of her confusion, that prognosticated great expression of countenance. Her voice was clear, commanding, and melodious, and her ear and manner both excellent. She is that kind of singer that one can be pleased from looking at as well as from hearing, --an excellence few vocal performers possess. Her acting abstracted from her voice would have done credit to a first appearance, as it was very pleasing and properly accompanied....What the managers could mean in casting Lucy for Miss Pope is extraordinary, as she sung, or indeed rather squalled every song so much out of tune that it was impossible for the music to accompany her; we do not however mean by this to cast the least reflection on so excellent an actress, as her spirited and judicious manner of playing it almost atoned for that of singing it

Event Comment: CCymbeline cannot be performed on account of Indisposition of Mrs Yates. Tickets delivered by Stoppelaer and Mas. Harris, will be taken. Charges: half house-charges, plus half-value of tickets #89 15s., minus half value of receipts left a deficit to Stoppelaer of #54 8s., covered by income from Tickets of #105 19s. (Box 144; Pit 335; Gallery 197). [Harris seems to have had no charges and to have cleared #38 12s. from tickets (Box 97; Pit 51; Gallery 67). William Gard and Singleton performed as usual in Harlequin's Jubilee and received customary pay. See 15 Feb.] (Account Book.) Receipts: #70 14s

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Acted but once these ten years. Benefit for Younger. Tickets delivered by Miss Helme will be taken. Charges. #68 6d. Profit to Younger #37 6d. plus #65 10s. from tickets (Box 136; Pit 134; Gallery 114). Miss Helme receiv'd #12 1s. clear from her tickets (Box 5; Pit 42; Gallery 45) (Account Book). Receipts: #105 6s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Gave the Porters at the several Inns of Court their Christmas Box, #3 11s. 6d. Paid Colman for the clear receipts of his night for alterations &c. the 11th inst. #254 15s. 6d. (Account Book). Receipts: #213 8s. 6d

Event Comment: Author's Night. Charges #64 10S. Profit to author #47 16s. (Account Book). [Yet according to note in Account Book for 11 March 1773 the managers gave Mr O'Hara the clear receipts of this night: #112 6s.] Receipts: #112 6s