Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by John O'Keeffe. Altered by the author the following season as The Wicklow Mountains. Dross not listed in Airs, but it is the only other character in Larpent MS 1117]: With new Scenery, Music, and Dresses. The Music partly compiled, and the Overture, new Music, and the Accompanyments to the National Airs, composed by Shield.The Union Pipes and the Harp to be played by Topham and Weippert. The Scenes painted by Richards, Hodgins, Phillips, Hollogan, Blackmore and assistants. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Receipts: #215 (210.18; 4.2)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: In Act II a Masquerade Scene. "Neither in conception nor in power is [Mrs Jordan] adequate to the character...This play has not often been so ill performed in a London theatre as it was on this evening" (Monthly Mirror, May 1796, p. 50). Receipts: #231 8s. (162.14.6; 67.15.6; 0.18.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; MD 3, by Prince Hoare. Larpent MS 1126; not published; synopsis of plot in Monthly Magazine, May 1796, p. 320]: With new Scenes, Dresses, Decorations, &c. The Musick principally composed by the late Mr Storace [who had died on 19 Mar.], with a few Selections from Paisiello, Haydn and Sarti. [Grove, under Storace, states that the music was completed and prepared for the stage by Kelly and Sga Storace.] The Scenes designed and executed by Marinari and assistants. The Dresses by Johnston, Gay and Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. "It was exceedingly tedious the first night, not being over till eleven o'clock. Since, it has been prudently cut down, and yet has lost nothing. A prologue, written on the very morning of representation, deploring the loss of the composer, was spoken (perfectly) by the last unfortunate Benson [for whom see 9 June. It was written by Hoare (Universal Magazine, May 1796, p. 362), and Was perhaps spoken only on the 1st night; it is not listed on any playbill]" (Monthly Magazine, May 1796, p. 320). "In short, possessing all the science of Harrison, the melody of Incledon, and the pleasing articulation of the late Mrs Kennedy, we have no hesitation in pronouncing [Braham] the first public singer of the present day. He was three times encored. His action is indifferent, and his dialogue scarcely audible" (Morning Herald, 2 May). Receipts: #297 14s. (258.10.6; 38.19.6; 0.4.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 8 years [acted 1 May 1792, Mme Mara had appeared in the oratorios at this theatre in the present season, as well as in 1792-93 and 1793-94]. Receipts: #216 11s. 6d. (210.8.0; 6.3.6)

Event Comment: 2nd piece: Books of the Opera to be had at the Theatre. [3rd piece in place of The Doldrum, advertised on playbill of 3 May.] Receipts: #195 15s. (194.2.6; 1.12.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wild, prompter. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1]: The Words of the Ode will be given in the Theatre. 3rd piece: A Short Description of the Scenery, &c. The Hall of Fingal-the Banquet preparatory to the celebration of the Nuptials of Oscar and Malvina; The Mountain of Ben Lomond; The Military Procession of Carrol to the Hall of Fingal; A View of the Sea and Rock, from which Oscar escapes, by leaping from a precipice, 20 feet high, into the arms of his Soldiers; A View of the Bridge, with the Camp of Carrol-the Death of Carrol, by the hands of Malvina, with his Descent into the Sea, and the Burning of the Camp of Carrol. The new Music composed, and the Ancient Scots Music selected and adapted by Shield. The Overture by Reeve. Morning Herald, 3 May: Tickets to be had of Wild, No. 46, Drury-lane. Receipts: #394 13s. (187.9; 3.10; tickets: 203.14)

Event Comment: [Mrs Gilbert was from the Birmingham theatre. Epilogue to 2nd piece not listed on playbill, but "The Epilogue was vociferously called for, and spoken by Vapid" (Oracle, 24 Sept.).] Receipts: #215 3s. 6d. (198.10.0; 16.13.6)

Event Comment: "Nothing reduces acting to so miserable a show of mechanism as the constant applause at particular speeches...Mrs Siddons labours under a disadvantage [in dl theatre]. that she is not everywhere heard. To be so she would strain her voice unnaturally. She does not choose to make the sacrifice, and preserves her excellence with the near, whatever she may lose to the remote" (Oracle, 27 Sept.). Receipts: #372 0s. 6d. (280.13.0; 89.18.6; 1.9.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Never [previously] performed at this Theatre [1st acted by the dl Company at king's, 18 Oct. 1792]. The new Scenes by Greenwood. The Musick composed principally by Attwood; rest from Mozart and Sarti. Receipts: #363 9s. (262.10; 99.2; 1.17)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2. but printed in 3, by John O'Keeffe]: Taken [by its author]. with various Alterations, from the Opera of The Lad of the Hills [see 9 Apr. 1796]. The Music partly compiled, and the Overture, new Music and the Accompaniments to the National Airs, composed by Shield. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Account-Book. 3 Oct.: Paid O'Keeffe for the Alteration of the Lad of the Hills and the Golden Pippin [see 5 Nov.] #100. Receipts: #220 19s. 6d. (209.15.6; 11.4.0)

Event Comment: [Dowton was from the Tunbridge Wells theatre.] Receipts: #292 18s. 6d. (198.10.6; 90.4.0; 4.4.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 20 years [never previously acted at this theatre]. Receipts: #462 8s. 6d. (340.18.0; 118.12.6; 2.18.0)

Event Comment: [Denman was from the Margate theatre.] Receipts: #218 0s. 6d. (149.10.6; 65.12.6; 2.17.6)

Event Comment: [This was Holland's 1st appearance in London; he was from the Bath theatre (see Thespian Dictionary, 1805, and hay, 23 Dec. 1793). Afterpiece in place of The Devil to Pay, advertised on playbill of 29 Oct.] Receipts: #400 11s. (335.6.6; 65.0.6; 0.4.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by John Cartwright Cross. MSS: Larpent MS 1139 (as licensed for the hay in Aug. 1796, but, although advertised for performance on 31 successive nights, not acted there), and Larpent MS 1142 (as licensed for dl); not published; synopsis of plot in Morning Herald. 7 Nov.]: The Overture and Musick by Reeve. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Receipts: #320 4s. (213.14.6; 104.10.0; 1.19.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time: CO 3, by Joseph George Holman. Text: George Cawthorn, 1796]: The new Music composed by Shield. The Selections from Gretry, Giornovichi, Jackson, and Mahon. The new Scenery painted by Richards. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Oracle, 7 Dec. 1796: Tomorrow will be published Abroad and at Home (2s.). Receipts: #220 9s. (219.2; 1.7)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Samuel James Arnold]: The Overture and Musick by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Receipts: #224 7s. 6d. (121.19.0; 99.9.0; 2.19.6)

Event Comment: 2nd ballet: Revived, and brought forward under the direction of Barre. The Music, with additional Airs, by Mazzinghi. The Scenery entirely new, painted by Greenwood and assistants under his Direction. The Dresses new by Sestini. "This dance is the composition of the celebrated Noverre, and it is totally different from the ballet under the same title, brought out at Paris under Gardel...The torches and swords of fire in hands of Furies produced so tremendous an effect that a part of audience seemed petrified at agonies of Psyche. Much of this effect was produced by the strong reflection from glass pannels of boxes" (Morning Chronicle, 19 Dec.). The frequenters of Opera are respectfully acquainted that Posts with Chains are placed all along front of Theatre to prevent Carriages from driving upon the foot way, so that Chairs can in future come by great door in the Haymarket with perfect safety

Event Comment: A New, Grand, Serious Opera, with Chorusses (1st time [in London; 1st performed at Paris, 1788, as Arvire et Evelina]). The Music by Sacchini (being his last Work). With entirely new Scenes (painted by Greenwood), Dresses and Decorations. Books of the Opera may be had at the Office of the Theatre

Event Comment: In consequence of the very frequent abuses discovered to be practised at this Theatre, in respect to transferable Tickets of Admission, it has become indispensably requisite to adopt the former Regulation of having those Tickets left at the Doors on the Evening of Performance, and returned next day to the Owners of them

Event Comment: By Authority of the Lord Chamberlain. Mainpiece: 2nd Time [see 28 Mar. 1796. Prologue by the author (see text)]. The Music composed by Callcott. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Tickets to be had of Wilkinson, No. 16, Lisle-street, Leicester-square. Books of the Tragedy to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Prince Hoare, based partly on Le Comte D'Albert et sa Suite, by Michael Jean Sedaine. Larpent MS 1153; not published; synopsis of plot in Monthly Visitor, Feb. 1797, p. 164]: The Musick partly new and partly selected [by Michael Kelly; overture by Stanislas Champein (BUC 567)]. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Receipts: #321 14s. (184.18.6; 134.14.6; 2.1.0)