Event Comment: 2nd piece: Never [previously] acted in this Kingdom [by Robert Jephson, altered by the author from his The Hotel; or, The Servant with Two Masters, which was based on Il Servitore di due Padroni, by Carlo Goldoni, and on Arlequin Valet de deux Maitres, by Jean Pierre de Ours de Mandajors, and 1st acted at Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, 8 May 1783]. Oracle, 18 Mar. 1791: This Day is published Two Strings to Your Bow (1s). Receipts: #210 3s. 6d. (205.17.0; 4.6.6)

Event Comment: A new Edition of the Farce to be had at the Theatre. [Afterpiece in place of The Romp, advertised on playbill of 16 Feb.] Receipts: #192 2s. 6d. (160.17.0; 30.17.0; 0.8.6)

Event Comment: "Mrs Siddons's timid approach [in Act V] to the home of a friend whom she had robbed of a lover: 'She staggers up to the door, timidly lifts the knocker, releases it as if she had committed a mortal sin, seizes it a second time and--knocks. It is impossible to describe how she knocked, but I shall never forget her in this situation, never forget the tone of her voice in answer to the servant, never the timidity, the anguish of her expression and movements.'" (F. W. von Hassell quoted in J. A. Kelly, 144-45). Receipts: #337 7s. 6d. (321.16.0; 14.6.6; 1.5.0, being the largest amount taken at this theatre, on a night not devoted to a benefit, between 1776 and 4 June of this season, q. v.)

Event Comment: "There is no peace between the opera theatres; the Haymarket rather triumphs. They have opened twice, taking money in an evasive manner, pretending themselves concerts; the singers are in their own clothes, the dancers dressed, and no recitative--a sort of opera in deshabille (Walpole [31 Mar. 1791], XIV, 399-400)

Event Comment: [As afterpiece the playbill announces High Life below Stairs, but "A Disturbance of some length took place on Monday night at Drury-lane Theatre, occasioned by the substitution of The Deaf Lover for High Life below Stairs; and the confusion was augmented by the unadvised introduction of some soldiers into the galleries. The audience properly insisted on their removal, which being complied with, the tumult subsided" (Morning Post, 27 Apr.).] On this and every Evening for the remainder of the Season, the Doors will not be opened till 5:30, and the performance will commence exactly at 6:30. Receipts: #188 6s. (159.6; 27.8; 1.12)

Event Comment: Benefit for Barrymore. A new Edition of [The Country Girl] to be had at the Theatre. Morning Chronicle, 27 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Barrymore, No. 11, Bedford-street, Bedford-row. Receipts: #305 0s. 6d. (84.4.0; 25.13.6; 5.0.0; tickets: 190.3.0) (charge: #115 6s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mme Theodore D'Auberval. Tickets to be had of Mme Theodore D'Auberval, No. 52, Poland-street, Oxford-road. 2nd ballet: With new Decorations painted by Munich [recte Moench], late painter to the Theatre in the Haymarket, and new Machinery by Bernard. The Dresses entirely new, invented and executed by Lupino

Event Comment: Benefit for R. Palmer. The Public is respecfully inform'd that the Prelude of The Hop formerly advertised for Mr Palmer's Benefit is on a very particular account withdrawn from the Theatre. Oracle, 7 May: Tickets to be had of R. Palmer, No. 14, East Place, Lambeth. Receipts: #292 5s. 6d. (77.13.0; 30.15.6; 2.6.0; tickets: 181.11.0) (charge: #117 0s. 7d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for a Fund for the Relief of those whose Infirmities oblige them to retire from the Stage. The whole Pit will be laid into the Boxes. Those Ladies and Gentlemen who have seats in the Pit are earnestly requested to be early at the Theatre, and Servants are desired to attend at half past Four o'Clock to keep Places. "The fine tragic powers of [Mrs Siddons] and Kemble were but wasted on the turgid trumpery of the play...But Kemble in this scene [end of Act III] was so impassioned and transcendent that it killed all the rest of the piece. The scorn of Mrs Siddons at his dissimulation--her haughty bearing and marking emphasis, with the piercing powers of her eye, are all treasured where they should be" (Oracle, 16 May). Receipts: #117 14s. (107.11.0; 9.12.6; 0.10.6; tickets: none listed, but Oracle, 17 May, reports that tickets were purchased for as much as one guinea and a half) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wood, Percey, Cameron, Wilson, George, Woollams. Kemble Mem.: Benefit for the Boxkeepers. A New Edition of the [mainpiece] to be had at the Theatre. "Went to play. Mrs Jordan in 'Rosalind.' I am still of opinion, there is more in her person and natural manners than in her acting. Her merit lies out of her part. The words set down by the author she does not repeat with great propriety of tone, emphasis, or gesture, than others. But she has of these, certain peculiarities, which indicate dispositions, such as take strong hold of the affections, at least of the male part of her audience; and therefore, when the part is of a sort to admit a large portion of these, she produces a great effect. The true acting of the part may, in many instances, not require what she throws into it, but it may admit it; and if the expression so thrown in is of the sort described, the effect of the whole will be improved, though the part is thereby neither better nor worse acted" (Windham Diary, 28 May 1791, 227). Receipts: #363 4s. 6d. (33.5.0; 9.5.6; 2.13.0; tickets: 318.1.0) (charge: #117 1s. 7d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Broadhurst. 3rd piece [1st time; M. ENT 1, author unknown. Larpent MS 910; not published]: Overture and Music entirely new, composed by Percy, with some airs from Andreozzi and Stevens. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 24 May: Tickets to be had of Miss Broadhust at Mr Percy's, No. 13, Tavistock-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #202 9s. (52.5.6; 3.17.6; tickets: 146.6.0)

Event Comment: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be had of Rice, at the Theatre. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; MD 3, by the Hon. Francis North. Johnstone was from cg]: The Music partly new by Gyrowetz, and partly compiled [by Miss Monck, or Monckton] from Paisiello, Sacchini, and Guglielmi. With new Dresses, Decorations, &c. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Oracle, 27 June: The chief excellence of this piece is the preservation of costume. Gazetteer, 27 June: Bensley disgraced a performance otherwise good by concluding his sentences with a rant, and a look at the gallery. Times, 9 July 1791: This day is published The Kentish Barons (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 15 Nov.]. No Money to be returned. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon at the Theatre. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Receipts: #176 9s. 6d. (169.16.0; 6.13.6)

Event Comment: The School for Scandal [advertised on playbill of 22 Sept., as was No Song No Supper for 3rd piece], intended for this Evening's Representation, is deferred till Tuesday, the Stage having been so constantly occupied by the Workmen preparing and adapting the various Scenes for this Theatre that the usual course of Rehearsals has been necessarily impeded. The Public are most respectfully informed that every Endeavour is exerting to remove all cause of Complaints respecting the Entrances and Passages to the different Doors of Admission. The large Hall below Stairs will be opened at Five o'Clock, for the accomodation of the Company frequenting the Pit previous to the opening the Office Doors. Receipts: #347 4s. (303.19; 43.2; 0.3)

Event Comment: [The playbill announces King Henry the Fifth and The Cave of Trophonius, but "The performances at this Theatre were changed last night on account of the indisposition of Kemble. Henry the Fifth gave way to The Siege of Belgrade, and The Cave of Trophonius was also superseded, as it was impossible for the vocal performers to sustain the whole effort of the night" (Morning Post, 18 Oct.). A MS annotation on Kemble playbill gives the name of the substitute afterpiece.] Receipts: #234 8s. (183.1; 49.18; 1.9)

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 5, by Hannah Cowley. Author of Prologue unknown. Epilogue by the author (see text)]: With Songs, Duetts, and Chorusses composed by Mazzinghi. With new Scenery, Dresses, and Decorations. Books of the Songs, &c. to be had at the Theatre. [Afterpiece in place of The Padlock, advertised on playbill of 2 Dec.] Morning Herald, 23 Feb. 1792: This day is published A Day in Turkey (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #263 16s. (261.15.6; 2.0.6)

Event Comment: 3rd piece: Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #189 3s. (185.13.6; 3.9.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: In 5 Acts, altered from the Dramatic Romance by David Garrick, Esq. With a new Overture and new additional Musick by Storace [on 2 Jan. 1792 and thereafter, added: Shaw] and other Eminent Masters. Entirely new Scenery by Greenwood, and new Dresses, Decorations and Machinery. To conclude with a Grand Procession of the Hundred Knights of Chivalry, and the Representation of an Ancient Tournament. [These were included in all subsequent performances.] Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Morning Post, 3 Jan. 1792, prints a full description of the Procession of over 100 persons: 1st, Anglo-Saxon Knights and banners; then ancient British knights, Norman knights, Indians, Turks, Scythians, Romans, a dwarf, a giant; at end, "soldiers drawing a superb picture of St. George, knights in chain mail, a cupid leading a knight covered with a silver net, Hymen, piping fauns, bands of cupids drawing an altar--flame burning, cupids hovering over it, and others feeding doves below, a troop of Arcadian shepherds drawing the car of Cymon and Sylvia, characters of the drama, and chorus." "At the conclusion of the procession, a tournament took place of both horse and foot, between several combatants in armour, who fought with lances, swords and battle-axes: three of Hughes' horses [from the Royal Circus] were introduced, and managed with much dexterity; the Prince of Wales' Highlander made one of the procession, and entered the lists as a champion, fighting with an enormous club; against him a small female warrior was opposed, by whom he was subdued. It was by far the grandest spectacle ever seen upon the stage. Many of the characters were taken from Sir Philip Sydney's Arcadia, in which the scene of the piece was laid; and the dresses of the knights, armour, &c. from the drawings and descriptions of the best antiquarians" (Oulton, 1796, II, 215). [This was Edmund Kean's 1st appearance on the stage; he was about four years old. He personated a cupid lying in Cymon and Sylvia's car (Kelly, Reminiscences, II, 21-22).] Account-Book, 13 Jan. 1792: Paid Hughes for his Horses #16 19s. 10d.; 23 Jan.: Paid Gough for his Greyhounds in Cymon #5 19s. 6d. Receipts: #420 6s. (385.0; 35.5; 0.1)