Event Comment: Benefit for Townsend and Mrs Johnson. 3rd piece [1st time in London; F 1, by William Dunlap]: Performed with distinguished Applause at the John St.? Theatre, New York [on 9 Jan. 1797]; compressed into one act [from two], and adapted for the English Stage by a Gentleman [perhaps the author]. "Commencing at half past eleven o'clock, and after a tiresome variety of other entertainments, the audience thought they had had enough for their money, and demanded the fall of the curtain before the conclusion of [Tell Truth and Shame the Devil]" (Monthly Mirror, June 1799, p. 367). Morning Chronicle, 8 May: Tickets to be had of Townsend, No. 9, Leicester-place. [Mrs Johnson not listed.] Receipts: #442 17s. 6d. (108.1.0; 1.11.0; tickets: 333.5.6, of which Townsend sold 218.2.0; Mrs Johnson 115.3.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bland. Afterpiece: By permission of the Proprietors of the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane. Times, 18 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Bland, No. 25, King-street, Covent-garden

Event Comment: [Huddart, whose 1st appearance on the stage was at the Crow Street Theatre Dublin, on 14 May 1798, is identified in European Magazine, Oct. 1798, p. 258.] "In the gentle and tender scenes [Huddart] was impressive...but in the impassioned parts he was often too boisterous, and from his too eager exertion, he exhausted himself, in a great measure, before the conclusion of the piece" (Morning Herald, 16 Oct.). [Mrs Pope, as Miss Campion, had 1st appeared as Desdemona at the same theatre, 11 Mar. 1790. Mrs Wybrow was from the Royal Circus. She had appeared at cg on 6 June 1798.] Afterp iece [1st time; BALL. PI, by John Cartwright Cross. Larpent MS 1228. Text (i.e. synopsis of the ballet, and the songs) in his Circusiana (Lackington, Allen & Co., 1890), Vol. 1; it lists the cast for the Royal Circus]: Taken chiefly from the favourtie Piece of the latter Title [1st acted at the Royal Circus, 9 Apr. 1798], with Alterations and Additions by the original Author. The Music by Sanderson, and Scenery by Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, Blackmore, &c. Receipts: #294 15s. 6d. (290.8.6; 4.7.0)

Event Comment: [Extra night] By Grant from the Proprietors, a Free Night; Benefit for Lacy, formerly of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. [Address by John Taylor (Poems, I, 68).] Receipts: #97 3s. (53.15.6; 40.16.6; 1.10.0; odd money: 1.1.0; tickets: none listed) (charge: free)

Event Comment: "[Henderson] appears to have cultivated the gifts of nature, with great industry; he promises better to attain the character of a player of consummate judgment than a great player, properly so called. Edwin, in spite of his thin voice and disgusting articulation, is at least equal to half his London contemporaries; and exhibited proofs that neither his conception, nor style of playing, is limited to a particular cast of parts, or mode of acting" (London Magazine, June 1777, p. 288). [ Miss Barsanti was from the Crow Street Theatre, Dublin.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs H. Johnston. 1st piece: Not acted these 2 years. 3rd piece: Not acted here these 10 years [never previously acted at this theatre]. Morning Chronicle, 16 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mr and Mrs Johnston, No. 24, Bedford-street, Covent Garden. The Doors to be opened at 5:30, and to begin at 6:30, and so continue for the remainder of the Season. Receipts: #380 11s. 6d. (168.5.6; 17.1.0; tickets: 195.5.0)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is known by the separately printed Prologue and Epilogue: Prologue. By Mr Otway to his Play call'd Venice preserv'd or the Plot discover'd. Acted at His Royal Highness the Duke of Yorks Theatre, the 9th of February, 1681. [These have been reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 61-66.] Luttrell dated his copy of the Prologue and Epilogue 11 Feb. 1681@2 (Huntington Library). It is not certain that 9 Feb. 1681@2 represents the first performance, but it may well be. For a comment by Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, on Mrs Barry, see The Orphan, February 1679@80

Event Comment: Benefit Arne. Tickets to be had of Arne next door to the Crown in Great Queen St., by Lincoln's Inn Fields; at St. James's Coffee House; at Nando's Coffee House, Temple Bar; and at Mr Simpson's Music Shop in Sweeting's Alley near the Royal Exchange, and places taken of Hobson at the Stage Door where tickets may also be had. -General Advertiser. Last night, at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane was perform'd King Pepin's Campaign, with great applause. The Music is said to be inimitable in its way. -Daily Advertiser, 17 April

Event Comment: Benefit Winstone, Taswell, Miss Budgell, Miss Cole. Tickets deliver'd for Sir Courtly Nice will be taken. Yeaterday Morning died, after a short illness, Mr Norton, Author of the new Tragedy call'd Mahomet, Perform'd at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane.-General Advertiser. On Friday died the Rev. Mr Miller of Roehampton, author of the Tragedy of Mahomet (which was acted last Friday, for the third time at Drury Lane Theatre), the Humours of Oxford, and other Dramatic performances.-Daily Advertiser, 30 April

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The Prologue and Epilogue, printed separately, bear Luttrell's MS notations: At ye Dukes theater at Venice Preserv'd &c. Acted 31 May. 1682 (Huntington Library, with Luttrell's date of purchase, 1 June 1682). The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 108-10. The Newdigate newsletters disagree as to the play acted: 1 June 1682: Yesterday the D. of Y. came to town & went wth his Dutchess to ye play called the Royallist (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 80)

Event Comment: MMrs Cibber Play'd (Cross). The Letter sign'd E. L. written in the Name of several Persons of Distinction, is receiv'd; and the Play of King Lear will be acted there, as soon as Mr Garrick is able to perform so long a Character (note "From the Theatre Royal Drury Lane" inserted in the General Advertiser). Receipts: #160 (Cross); #156 17s. 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: To the Author of the General Advertiser: Sir: I beg leave by means of your paper, to acquaint the friends of Tom Harbin, that he intends shortly to have a Benefit at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden: Having in consequebce of the advice of many of them, apply'd himself to Mr Rich, on that account who very generously and readily said he would contribute anything in his power to serve him; and as one night of the week might be better than another, (as his Interest lay) he gave him his choice, whereupon he chose Wednesday, as being a night of most leisure amongst people eminent in trade, on whom the city depends. He persuades himself that those who have laughed with him, will not laugh at him for requesting a favour (which his circumstances could never be supposed to put him above accepting) from persons of affluent fortunes, which the generality of his friends are; and who Experienc'd good nature, he doubts not, will serve him on this occasion. In a few days Publick notice will be given of the time, the Play, &c. I am &c. Jack Friendly, Grigsby's Coffee House, Nov. 7, 1748. [See General Advertiser, 8 Nov. See also 14 Dec.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by O'Keeffe, Author of The Poor Soldier, &c, and perform'd at the Theatre Royal, Hay-Market, with universal Applause

Event Comment: By Authority of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Lacy, formerly of the Theatre Royal, Drury-Lane. Tickets to be had of Fosbrook, at the Box Office of the Drury Lane Theatre, and Rice, at the Box Office of the Theatre-Royal, Haymarket, where Places for the Boxes may be taken. [Address by John Taylor (Monthly Mirror, Dec. 1798, p. 370). On this night the following appeared both at dl and at the hay: Hollingsworth, Caulfield, Bannister Jun., Suett, Miss Pope, Mrs Bland.

Event Comment: Mrs Egerton smart figure not much of the Gentlewoman tho, appear'd in Lady Townly (Hopkins Diary). From the Theatre Royal, Dublin (MacMillan). Lady Townly, Mrs Egerton, first time (Cross Diary)

Event Comment: Benefit for C. Kemble. Mainpiece: By permission of the Proprietors of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Morning Chronicle, 8 Aug.: Tickets to be had of C. Kemble, No. 126, Great Russel-street, Bloomsbury

Event Comment: [Prologue by George Colman, the elder (Colman, Prose, 10,239).] Afterpiece: Written by the Author of The Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Rice at the Theatre. [No playbill this season lists the various prices of admission; they were probably, as usual: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s.] The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]. On 24 May Colman inserted the following in Public Advertiser: The Theatre Royal in the Haymarket will open next Saturday. In order to avoid unnecessary' Repetitions during the Season, the Public are desired, once for all, to take Notice that every Performance at this Theatre will be exhibited to most brilliant, crouded and OVERFLOWING audiences; and received with loud and universal Bursts of most UNBOUNDED and UNCOMMON Applause

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 10 years. Afterpiece: By permission of the Proprietor of the Theatre Royal Hay-Market. Receipts: #259 0s. 6d. (181.11.6; 76.18.0; 0.11.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By permission of the Proprietor of the Theatre Royal, Hay-market. "[Raymond] appears to possess many of those wild beauties, and enthusiastic bursts for which Mossop has been celebrated; which produce an effect upon the audience, like electricity, instantaneous and irresistible" (Monthly Mirror, Oct. 1799, p. 232). Receipts: #304 13s. (213.5.0; 91.5.6; 0.2.6)

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Clive. Mainpiece: Written by Sir George Etheridge. By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales. Receipts: #230

Event Comment: To begin at 6:30 precisely. Boxes 3s. Pit 2s. Gallery 1s. The Proprietors have spared no expence in enlarging and beautifying the Theatre; and as they are determined to preserve the exactest punctuality in the time of beginning, and to make regularity and decorum their chief study, hope they shall render themselves deserving of that favourable encouragement they have before experienced. The House is illuminated with Wax. Subscription tickets may be had by applying to Bailey, at Mr Oldfield's. [Author of Prologue unknown.

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Clive. Mainpiece: Never acted there Before. Amphitheatre on stage [see 12 March]. Mainpiece: By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales. Tickets and places of Mrs Clive at her house in Great Queen St., Lincoln's Inn Fields; or of Page at the stage door of the theatre. Last Night their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales were at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden to see the Merchant of Venice; when the Song of Britons strike home was commanded to be sung, which was accordingly done, with the Chorus's, accompanied by Trumpets, Kettle-Drums, etc. and met with the Greatest Applause.--General Advertiser, 14 March. [The notice about Miss Edwards' first attempt means in an acting role; she was a singer.

Event Comment: By Desire of the...Masons...Benefit of a Brother under Misfortunes. The new Scenes, which were painted for the Gentlemen who presented this Tragedy last Winter at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane will be made use of. A Concert. Boxes 4s. Pit 2s. 6d. Gallery 1s. 6d. The Doors to be shut at six, no person to be admitted after, on Account of the Play being Gratis