Event Comment: Benefit for Dibdin. Afterpiece: A new Burletta in two Acts by Bickerstaffe. [Adaptation of Pergolesi's La Serva Padrona.] Books of the Burletta to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Not acted these 2 years. [See 2 Nov. 1770]. [N.B. a different hand appears in the Account Book for two weeks, and off and on thereafter.] Receipts: #136 1s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Desire. About this time papers say inside of Foote's theatre with Dressing Room Green Room &c. is entirely pulled down to enlarge the stage which is to be nearly twice the size it was. Woodward is to exhibit two new pantomimes next summer. (Winston MS 10). Paid Printer's Bill #9 6s. (Treasurer's Book). [Treasurer's Book also indicates that this night #30 4s. of Orders were given out.] Paid 2 Clarinets 6 nights (18th incl.) #9 9s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #173 2s. 6d. Ordinary charges #84. Extra for Invasion #10 10s. Profit for Author #78 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Mr Chapman for horsekeeping [for Jubilee] #12 6s. (Treasurer's Book). [Published this month A Letter to David Garrick, Esq. on his conduct as Principal Manager and Actor at Drury Lane. Printed for S. Bladon. Accuses Garrick of controlling the press, save for two papers, and thus getting more favourbale treatment than his position and actions deserve. "You are a mere actor. You affect to feel where you do not, and imitate tones, looks and gestures, while your heart is at ease. This should heighten our opinion of you as an artist, whatever we might think of you as a man. I believe you are not generally judged of in this manner. It is not difficult to impose on the world." The author (David Williams?) deprecates Garrick's supposed handling of the actors of his company, and desires to see more Shakespeare. Suggests Garricks' acting perfection lies in the extreme, in exaggerated gesture, and sudden bursts of passion." Suggests he is getting old and should try his hand at Shylock.] Receipts: #271 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Into afterpiece two views of Mt Vesuviusv Introduc'd Desire. [See 26 Dec. 1771.] Paid Printer's Bill #8 12s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. [See Town and Country Magazine this month (pp. 171-72) for two columns on theatrical amusements in England: The English stage is as elegant and well conducted as any theatre in Europe, whether we consider the music, the actors, or the decorations."

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Love. Afterpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid half year's Poor's Rate for St Martin's to Xmas last #28 5s.; Two extra hautboys 2 nights #1 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #187 10s. Charges: #64 11s. Profits to Love: #122 19s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Condell, Potter and Evans (box-keepers). Charges #81 5s. Deficit to the Box Keepers #14 7s. 6d. apiece, cover'd by income from tickets: Condell #67 3s. (Box 169; Pit 116; Gallery 75); Potter #56 (Box 116; Pit 102; Gallery 117); Evans #83 13s. (Box 151; Pit 228; Gallery 117). Paid Cooper (printer) #33 10s. 6d.; Paid Richards (painter) as per bill #6 16s. 6d.; Paid Dr Arne for composing two songs one in Comus, the other in Twelfth Night #6 6s. (Account Book). Receipts: #38 2s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid supers and Kettle drums 3 nights in Alexander (this night incl.) #19 7s.; Two extra hautboys in the Rehearsal, 10s. (Treasurer's Book). [N.D. at 5s. per night for the kettle drums and 2s. 6d. for each super, it would appear that each performance of Alexander required 5 supers.] Receipts: #213 11s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Mr G. Garrick's two notes for Mr Weston, #15 12s.; Paid Mr J. French on acct #12 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #227 16s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these two years. [See 13 April 1771.] Paid Mr Cropley (linnen draper) #14 16s.; Sandys & Co. (colourmen) #50 3s.; Mr Chettel (timbermerchant) #52 4s.; Mr Cole (turner) #46 3s.; Mr Barrow & Co. for Oil, #46 6s. 6d.; Mrs Vaughan (haberdasher) #22 18s.; Mr Callon for men's cloaths #30 (Treasurer's book). Receipts: #217 4s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Music of Afterpiece entirely new Composed by Dibdin. [An adaptation of Goldoni's Il Filosofo di Campagna.] Book of Songs to be had at Theatre (playbill). The Wedg R. a Comic Opera of Two Acts wrote & composed by Mr Dibdin. The Music very pretty--as the Author was kept a Secret The Town fancy'd that is one of Mr Bickerstaff & call'd out to know who was the Author. Mr Garrick inform'd them that he had no power to declare who the Author was but he could assure them that it was not Mr Bickerstaffs this did not Satisfy them at last Mr Dibdin went on & declard himself to be the Author & made an Affidavit of it & then the Farce went on with Applause (Hopkins Diary). [Account of The Wedding Ring in Westminster Magazine for Feb. 1773.] Paid #4 4s. for licensing The Wedding Ring and Alonzo (Treasurer's Book). [Maria Macklin, in a MS letter to her father, 3 Feb. 1773, commented fully on this night's performance: "Written as it was suppos'd by Bickerstaffe. The music by Dibdin. I went with a party into the Gallery to see the event as there was a great riot expected, & indeed never did I see an audience more inflamed. They would not suffer them to begin the piece. At last Mr King came on with a written paper in his hand, which he said he was desir'd to read in the name of the managers. After a great noise they let him read it. He said just before the play began the managers had receiv'd a letter from Mr Dibdin in which he declared that Bickerstaff was not the author of that piece, that he had made oath of it, and was ready to do the same again, but that for very particular reasons the author could not be given up. Then they stopp'd him & roar'd out that the author should be given up then. He continued as loud as he possibly could, reading on that 'but that if Mr Dibdin did not very soon given up the author he never should be suffered to appear again on that stage or any other.' Very luckily that turn'd them as I believe the House would have come down. The piece then began. Before the end of the first act one of Bannister's songs were encor'd. The other party were against it and would not let it go on. They all stood up and insisted that the author should be known then. After some time the house being nothing but confusion, Dibdin was push'd upon the stage ready to drop with fright, and declared that he was the author himself. Then they were as noisy the other way. Made them finish the piece, but how you may guess in a storm. It is like the Padlock, but the songs not so good." (Brander Matthews, Actors and Actresses, extra illustrated, Vol. I. Harvard Theatre Collection.). Westminster Magazine this month included in parallel columns flattering "Characters of Mr Garrick and Mr Colman," the Rival managers. The article especially praised Garrick's acting.] Receipts: #252 3s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Barthelemon. A new Entertainment in two parts. Music by Barthelemon

Event Comment: A New Entertainment in Two Parts set by Barthelemon. Benefit for Barthelemon

Event Comment: Paid Housekeeper's Bill #6 7s. 2d. (Treasurer's Book). [The Public Advertiser carried a two-column account of Sethona, telling the story of the play act by act. It concluded: Such is the Story of this new Tragedy which was received with universal Applause by a crowded and brilliant Audience and seems to bid fair to become a Stock Play. The Parts were judiciously cast, and the Performers did great Justice to their respective Characters. Perhaps Mrs Barry never appeared in a greater or more amiable Point of View than on Saturday Night. In short her Performance beggared Description; and it is impossible to form an adequate Idea of her Merit in Sethona without seeing her. Mr Barry was also very great in the Old Hermit, and exhibited as pathetic and as chaste a piece of acting as we remember to have seen. The Dresses, Decorations and Scenery of this Play are much superior to those of any modern Tragedy; they do ample Justice to the Author, and likewise do Honour to the Taste and Spirit of the Manager, who seems to have spared no Expence to furnish a splendid and rational Entertainment. The Scene of the Temple of Osiris, and the View of the Egyptian Catacombsv were particularly admired, and are worthy of the Brush of Mr Loutherbourg. The Prologue is a very classical Performance, and was well delivered by Mr Reddish, notwithstanding the noise and the frequent Interruption usual on these occasions. The Epilogue in the character of an Egyptian Fortune Teller was admirably spoken by Mrs Barry, and had an amazing effect. It contains some excellent Strokes of Satire on the Times and a rich vein of Humour which is finely sustained throughout. From several Circumstances we should suppose this Epilogue to be the Production of our English Roscius and it seems to be one of his best."] Receipts: #226 15s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Lent Mr Como per order #6 6s.; Paid two extra flutes 2 nights #1. Receipts: #132 6s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Gentleman's Magazine, XLX, p. 147: The cause of Macklin against Clarke, Aldys, Lee, James, and Miles came on to be tried in the Court of the King's Bench. The Indictment consisted of two counts; the first specifying that on the 18th of November 1773 the defendents had been guilty of a riot; the other that they had been guilty of conspiracy....The jury withdrew and in a few minutes brought Clark in guilty of the riot and the others of conspiracy. Judgment was deferred till next term

Event Comment: The Two Misers oblig'd to be deferr'd

Event Comment: In the Ode will be introduced two songs from Handel's Oratorios

Event Comment: Benefit for Vallouis and Mme Vallouis, with two new Dances composed by Mr Vallouis

Event Comment: Opera, music by Sacchini &c. [not performed, according to Public Advertiser, 8 Nov., because of illness of two singers, one being Sga Sestini. A Letter by William Lee in The Public Advertiser (7 Nov.) notes that beginning in 1772 he had served refreshments in a room which served also as a passage to the boxes; alterations made to enclose the passage were made in 1773; Lee was charged #60 a year for the room (with the fire and light at his own expense). Then Elizabeth Smith, who had had charge of concessions died. In 1774 Lee was charged #160 plus #80 for coals and light. Hence Lee lost #130 and was saved only by a benefit by the graciousness of the Nobility and Gentry.