Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. The eighth night of the New Pantomime of the Sylphs will be on Thursday. Gave Porters of the several Inns of Court their Christmas Box #3 12s. 6d. Paid John Corker and Joseph Stephenson each 10s. as per certificate from Sir John Fielding (Account Book). Receipts: #183 15s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mrs Abington Phillis first time-Very well (Hopkins Diary). Paid 5 days salary list at #104 4s.; #520 1s. 8d.; Mrs Jewell 11 days not on list #5 10s.; Mr Johnston 4 days not on list #1 6s. 8d.; Blurton 11 days additional salary 18s. 4d.; Carpenter 11 days additional salary 18s. 4d. Receipts: #240 14s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by John O'Keeffe; MS: Larpent 577; not published. The following season this was altered, and acted successfully as The Castle of Andalusia]: With new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. A new Overture, and the whole of the Music under the Direction of Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 29 Nov.: The admirable first scene, the subterraneous Receptacle of the Banditti, is the production of the ingenious Mr Richards. Receipts: #182 10s. (180/12/6; 1/17/6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by John O'Keeffe and Charles Bonnor; later (see 29 Jan. 1784) altered as Harlequin Rambler. MS: Larpent 642; not published; synopsis of action in Public Advertiser, 24 Dec]: The Overture and all the Music new, with entire new Scenery, Machinery, Dresses, Decorations and New Performers. The Pantomime invented by O'Keeffe, the Music composed by Shield, the Scenery designed by Richards and Carver, and executed by them, Hodgins, and others. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Books of the Songs (T. Cadell, 1783) [which list no cast] to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #288 1s. (277/18; 10/3)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Lord Lumbcrcourt to Wilson, but "Lee Lewes was the substitute for Wilson, and far indeed better than the man he appeared for" (Public Advertiser, 31 Jan.).] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by John O'KeerFe]: The Music composed by Shield. The Scenery designed by Richards and Carver, and executed by them, Hodgins, and others. The 1st Part of this Pantomime is an Alteration of the Last New One [Friar Bacon (see 23 Dec. 1783)], and the 2nd Part entirely new and never before exhibited. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. "If Macklin once loses the Catch Word he is gone irretrievably." At the end of the 3rd act, at half price, some apprentices coming into the pit talked so loudly that "Macklin stopped; he lost himself. ... He came to the Side of the Stage, and stooping down to the Talkers, said, 'Gentlemen, I must beg you to be silent; my Hearing and Recollection are not so perfect as they were; I cannot proceed for your Talking'" (Public Advertiser, 5 Feb.). Receipts: #286 14s. (282/15; 3/19)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Wells, but she "was so ill last night that she could not perform the part of Jane Shore. It was undertaken by Mrs T. Kennedy" (Public Advertiser, 21 Dec.).] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by John O'Keeffe]: The Pantomime, and the whole of the Scenery, Machinery, Dresses, &c. designed and invented by Loutherbourg, and executed under his superintendance and direction by Richards, Carver, Hodgins, Catton Jun., Turner, assisted by two other celebrated artists [all subsequent playbills have "a celebrated artist"; he was the Rev. Matthew William Peters (Public Advertiser, 16 Dec.)]. The Music entirely new, composed by Shield. Books containing a short account of the Pantomime, as well as the Recitatives, Airs, Duets, Trios and Chorusses, and a Description of the Procession, to be had at the Theatre. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. [This was the last theatrical piece for which De Loutherbourg designed the scenery. For a detailed account of it see "De Loutherbourg and Captain Cook", by Ralph G. Allen, Theatre Research, IV, 195-211.] Account-Book, 17 Oct.: Paid De Loutherbourg on acct. #120; 20 Dec.: Paid Goodwin for copying Music #10 14s.; 14 Feb. 1786: Paid O'Keeffe in full for Omai #40. Receipts: #309 19s. (302/7; 7/12)