Event Comment: [For the
King (
Cross). With New Music, Scenes, Machines, Habits, and other Decorations. Compos'd by
Mr Noverre. All our Dancers appear. A good deal of hissing & Clapping & some Cries of No french Dancers; a great clapping too-the Dance is fine-(
Mr Delaistre is a good Dancer) (
Cross). [See for details of preparation, importation of dancers, especially of M Delaistre,
The Chevalier Noverre,
Father of Modern Ballet,
Deryck Lynham (
London, 1950), pp. 26-40. See also advertisement in
Public Advertiser: 'Mr Noverre, whose entertainments of Dancing have been celebrated in almost all the courts of
Europe, exhibits this evening his
Chinese Festival at the Theatre Royal in
Drury Lane, in pursuance of a contract made above a year ago with the managers of the said theatre: The Insinuation that at this time, an extraordinary number of
French dancers are engaged, is groundless, there being at Drury Lane at present as few of that nation, as any other theatre now has, or perhaps ever had. Mr Noverre and his brothers are
Swiss, of a protestant family in
the Canton of Berne, his wife and her sisters
Germans; there are above sixty performers concerned in the entertainment; more than forty of which are
English, assisted only be a few French (five men and four women) to complete the Ballet as usual. As the intention of the Managers on this occasion is to give Variety to Entertainments of the town, it is not doubted it
will meet with public approbation.'] Receipts: #210 (
Cross)