Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Prologue by the author. Epilogue by Edward Topham (see text). In 1794 this was altered by the author, and reduced to 4 acts]: With new Scenes and Dresses. Public Advertiser, 25 Jan. 1785: This Day is published The Natural Son (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #175 19s. 6d. (154/12/0; 21/0/0; 0/7/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Henderson. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Richard Cumberland. Text, which assigns no parts, 1st published in his Posthumous Dramatic Works, Vol. II (1813), under the title of Alcanor]. Public Advertiser, 5 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Henderson at his house in Buckingham-street, York-buildings

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Ferdinand to Johnstone, but "The sudden illness of Johnstone gave much dissatisfaction, though Cubitt did all in his power to supply his place" (Town and Country Magazine, Sept. 1785, p. 451). William Palmer was from the Norwich theatre; Meadows from the HAY.] The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 14 Nov.]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon, at the Stage-Door. [No playbill this season lists the various prices of admission; they were probably, as usual: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s.] The Alterations and Improvements in the Theatre this Season are made by Richards, and executed under his Superintendance by Catton and others. [Public Advertiser, 22 Sept., notes that these improvements consisted of the enlargement of the boxes, in which "the seats are formed into recesses which communicate with the other boxes"; all the pillars, "even those of iron in the back boxes [being] capped, cased, fluted and gilt"; the front of the boxes and galleries being newly painted a "warm lilac"; the back of the boxes being wainscotted and painted crimson.] Paid Charewomen for cleaning Theatre #13 0s. 6d. Receipts: #214 2s. 6d. (210/10/0; 3/12/6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: With new Scenery, Machinery, Music, Dresses, and Decorations. The Scenes chiefly designed by Richards, and executed by him, Carver, Hodgins, and assistants. The Overture, Songs, Chorusses, and the Music of the Pantomime composed by Shield. Receipts: #206 4s. 6d. (204/2/0; 2/2/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Larpent MS 779; not published; synopsis of plot in Universal Magazine, Aug. 1787, p. 100. Prologue by the author; Epilogue by George Colman elder (European Magazine, July 1787, pp. 63-64). In 1789 altered as The School for Widows]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Sir Richard Steele's Comedy. Never acted at this theatre [acted 17 Mar. 1760, and advertised for performance on 10 Apr. 1764]. Receipts: #229 8s. 6d. (213.19.6; 15.9.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by the Author of Rosina [Frances Brooke]. The Music by Shield. With entire new Scenes painted by Richards. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #207 9s. 6d. (197.9.0; 10.0.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Richard Bentley. Beginning with 4 Feb. 1789 reduced to an afterpiece of 2 acts. Not in Larpent MS; not published; synopsis of plot in Public Advertiser, 15 Dec.]: With entire new Dresses, Scenery, and Decorations. The Music partly selected from the works of Haydn, Purcell, Pleyel, Anfossi, Cimarosa, Gretry, Giordani, Sacchini [the score (Longman and Broderip [1788]) adds: Irwich]; and partly composed by Shield. With a Grand Overture by Salieri. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #245 3s. 6d. (238.6.6; 6.17.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland, based on The Beaux Stratagem, by George Farquhar. Prologue by the author (World, 27 Jan.). Epilogue by the same (Knapp, 150)]. Public Advertiser, 14 Feb. 1789: This Day is published The Impostors (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #254 (235.16; 17.9; 0.15)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: by Sir Richard Steele. Receipts: #230 2s. (213.7; 16.15)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland, altered by the author from his The Country Attorney. Prologue and Epilogue probably by Cumberland. Larpent MS 828; not published; synopsis of plot in Universal Magazine, May 1789, p. 267]: With new Dresses, &c. Receipts: #165 6s. 6d. (155.5.6; 10.1.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Sir Richard Steel. Receipts: #122 6s. 6d. (112.3.6; 10.3.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; BALL. P 1, by James Byrne. MS of Songs only: Larpent MS 919; synopsis of action in Universal Magazine, Oct. 1791, p. 308]: Taken from Ossian. With new Music, Airs, Chorusses, new Scenery, Dresses, and Decorations. The Ballet composed by Byrne. The new Music composed, and the Ancient Scots Music selected and adapted by Shield. The Overture by Reeve. The Scenery by Richards, Hodgins, Pugh, &c. &c. The Dresses by Dick. Books of the Songs, &c. to be had at the Theatre. [For Harp and Pipes see 24 Oct.] Account-Book, 22 Nov.: Paid Byrne for Oscar & Malvina #50; 8 Dec.: Paid Mad. St.Amand expenses from Paris to London #14 6s. 8d. Receipts: #182 16s. 6d. (177.13.6; 5.3.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Richard Cumberland; music ascribed to Capt. Warner. Larpent MS 976; not published]: With entire new Music, new Scenes and Dresses. Books of the Songs [C. Dilly,1793] to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #224 0s. 6d

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Prologue by the Hon. Francis North. Epilogue by George Colman, the younger (see text)]. Morning Chronicle, 20 Mar. 1794: This Day is published THE BOX-LOBBY CHALLENGE (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Authors of Prologue and Epilogue unknown] . Account-Book, 25 Sept. 1794: Paid Cumberland for The Jew #300. Morning Chronicle, 4 Oct. 1794: This Day is published THE JEW (1s. 6d.). Powell: The Quaker rehearsed at 10; The Jew at 11. Receipts: #401 17s. (344/3; 45/19; 11/15)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Revised and Altered [reduced from 5 acts to 4] by the Author [Richard Cumberland; MS of this version: Larpent 1026]. [In afterpiece the playbill retains Bannister Jun. as Robin, but he "being ill, Benson play'd Robin" (Powell).] Powell: Natural Son rehearsed at 11 (Miss Farren absent, Miss Tidswell one scene). Receipts: #149 9s. 6d. (106/6/6; 34/13/0; 8/10/ 0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (Pocket Magazine, Mar. 1795, pp. 190, 191)]: With new Scenes, &c. Powell, 27 Feb.: Wheel of Fortune rehearsed at 11; 28 Feb.: Wheel of Fortune rehearsed at 10. "The character of Penruddock is [Kemble's] greatest performance, and I believe it to be a perfect one. It is admirable...because the very defect which hurts his general style of acting, that studious and important preciseness, which is affectation in all his other characters, contributes to the strength, to the nature of Penruddock" (Leigh Hunt, Critical Essays on the Performers of the London Theatres, 1807, p. 8). Receipts: #255 19s. (195.10; 57.15; 2.14)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (Knapp, 269, 221)]: With new Dresses, &c. Morning Chronicle, 12 Oct. 1795: This Day is published First Love (2s.). Receipts: #266 7s. 6d. (205.4.0; 52.2.0; 9.1.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Authors of Prologue and Epilogue unknown. MS: Larpent MS 1096; not published]. Receipts: #358 12s. 6d. (280.6.6; 76.10.6; 1.15.6)

Event Comment: 2nd piece: Not acted these 12 years. Compressed into 4 acts by the Author [Richard Cumberland]. "This play has been compressed into unintelligibility. We defy the most ingenious analyser to connect the incidents in any way so as to be understood" (Monthly Mirror, Jan. 1796, p. 188). Receipts: #146 5s. 6d. (141.13.6; 4.12.0)

Event Comment: 1st piece: In one Act [i.e. reduced from the original two]. 2nd piece [1st time; MD 3, by Richard Cumberland. Author of Prologue unknown]. Receipts: #235 13s. 6d. (232.9.6; 3.4.0)

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; D 5, by Richard Cumberland. Prologue by the author; Epilogue by George Colman ynger (London Chronicle, 27 July). Larpent MS 1138; 1st published in Cumberland's Posthumous Dramatic Works, 1813, Vol. II, with unassigned casts listing Citizens.

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. 1st piece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Text 1st published in his Posthumous Dramatic Works, Vol. II (G. and W. Nicol, 1813); it assigns no parts, but adds George Ivey and David Duncan, acted by Caulfield and Packer. Genest erroneously assigns Sir Adam to Wewitzer and Beau Tiffany to R. Palmer. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (True Briton, 9 May). Songs by Michael Kelly, in Act I harmonized by Sir William Parsons.] True Briton, 25 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 65, Gower-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #581 15s. (294.18.6; 72.7.0; 3.17.6; tickets: 210.12.0) (charge: #213 6s. 8d.)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Ledger, Claremont, Goostree. Mrs Dick, Mrs Egan will be admitted. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1, by Richard Cumberland. Larpent MS 1111; not published]: To conclude with an Illumination, Transparency, and a Rural Procession. The Music partly selected, and partly composed, by Shield. The Harp by Weippert. The Bells by Lawrence. With appropriate Scenery, Dresses, and Decorations. [Written in honour of the Royal Marriage" [see dl, 13 May] (Morning Herald, 19 May). "If we are to have these repeated Congratulations, let them be written by men of spirit and invention. The public are miserably placed, in cases like the present: between a respect for their King and a respect for their own understandings, they know not how to act" (Monthly Visitor, May 1797, pp. 454-55, which also includes a brief synopsis of the plot). Receipts: #254 9s. 6d. (84.0.0; 11.2.6; tickets: 159.7.0)