Event Comment: MMr Love Falstaff 1st time (Cross Diary)

Event Comment: This Farce was written by Mr Coleman. The Novelty of the Subject, together with its being extremely well perform'd; gave the Audience such entire Satisfaction that I never heard Such Bursts of Applause; crying out Bravo! Bravo! &c. &c. (Hopkins). [Identical in Hopkins Diary.] Farce very greatly receiv'd (Cross Diary)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Pantomime, the Overture and Comic Tunes compos'd by Potter, the Airs and Chorusses by Batishall. Nothing under Full Prices will be taken. The Words of the Airs and Chorusses in the Entertainment will be given away at the theatre (playbill). At the end of the Play a great Noise & many cry'd out, the whole! the whole, &c. Mr Holland told 'em there never was any more play'd, which a little appeas'd em; but some noise continued till the Curtain was drawn up for the Pantomime & then all was quiet. The Pantomime got great applause; the Tunes were very bad, & a great want of Business & Incidents thro' the whole. The Scenery is very Pretty & well Executed. The Elephant is excellent & has a Fine Effect (Hopkins). Machinery Pleas'd. Business so, so (Cross Diary). [Wording in comment from Hopkins Diary-MacMillan, differs only slightly.] Receipts: #269 13s

Event Comment: KKing of Denmark--Macbeth, Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). For the King of Denmark--put in by Particular desire (Hopkins Diary). Lady Macbeth-Mrs Barry, late Mrs Dancer. The doors (by Particular Desire) will be opened at half past 5 o'clock. The Play to begin exactly at 7 o'clock

Event Comment: KKitley, Mr Garrick (Cross Diary)

Event Comment: [Alter'd from +Lionel and Clarissa. Mrs Wrighten made her first appearance in the Stage in Diana. A very fine Voice--Aukward & Clumsy figure--Well faced (Hopkins Diary). Mrs Wrighten's first Appearance (Cross Diary). New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. Greater part of the Music entirely New (playbill)

Event Comment: Mr Davies from the Norwich Company a tolerable figure a bad voice & speaks tolerable may be useful pretty well receiv'd (Hopkins Diary). Ld Aimwoth, A Gentleman (Cross Diary). Mainpiece: Not played in two years. [See 27 April 1769.] Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. [Repeated.

Event Comment: Kitely-$Mr Garrick (Cross Diary)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sparks. Miss Radley became Mrs Fitzgerald (Winston MS 10). Ld. Townly, Mr Sparks Jun: first Appearance (Cross Diary). Mr Sparks Junr Son of Mr Isaac Sparks made his first Appearance on any Stage in Ld. Townly a fine figure and met with Applause (Hopkins Diary)

Event Comment: Benefit for Jewell, treasurer. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT I]. Public Advertiser, 8 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Jewell, No. 26, Suffolk-street, Charing-cross

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Trowion, Rock, Blurton, Ledger, Evatt, Jackson, Ratchford, Cross, Letteney, Williamson. Mrs Davenett, Mrs Lefevre, Mrs Lloyd, Mrs Arnold, Mrs Gray, Mrs Masters, Mrs Goodwin will be admitted. Receipts: #435 9s. (45.8; 3.2; tickets: 383.19)

Event Comment: [Extra night] By Authority of the Most Noble the Marquis of Salisbury, Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Household. Benefit for Waldron, prompter. [Amarath the Fourth was "A musical tale," 1st acted at the Royalty, 27 Nov. 1797.] 3rd piece [1st time; P 1, author unknown]: Got up under the direction of Delpini. Tickets to be had of Waldron, No. 4, Cross-court, Bow-street, Covent-garden.

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for an Infant Orphan Family. Tickets to be had at No. 17, Tufton-street, Westminster; of Appleby, Hosier, Parliament-street; Mrs Cleaver, Cannon-row, Parliament-street; Newcomb, Confectioner, Bridge-street, Westminster; Taylor, Linen-draper, Whitehall; Thomas, Butcher, Charing-cross; Medhurst, Pastry Cook, Russel-court, Drury-lane; Rice, at the Theatre, where Places for the Boxes may be taken

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 17-20 April 1697, suggests a premiere preceding Easter; in addition, the large number of minor actors suggests a Lenten performance, possibly in February, certainly no later than early March. One song, So fair young Caelia's Charms, the music by Daniel Purcell and sung by Mr Magnus's Boy, was printed separately in 1697. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 18: Triumphs of Vertue, tho' I think this no ill Play, yet 'twas Damn'd

Event Comment: [Puff for the afterpiece]: As this Pastoral was not originally designed for the theatre, it is thought proper to give the public some account of it, and by what means it has now found its way to the stage. The Chorusses and Airs were selected from Mr Handel, and several other eminent masters, by a gentleman whose taste and knowledge in music is perhaps his least merit. Having conceived the design of a musical entertainment of this miscellaneous nature he found himself oblig'd...to connect them [the airs] by a Recitative of his own composition: This naturally produced a kind of a little drama, and the ease and elegance of the whole is the more to be admired when it is considered that the words were of necessity composed in perfect subservience to the music. The piece has been several times performed at Salisbury and greatly admired by many of the first Rank. The author, upon Mr Norris being engaged at the theatre, was applied to for leave to bring it on the stage, to which he has most obligingly given his consent. [Cast given] After an agreeable Overture, the curtain rises and discovers a rural scene, and a troop of nymphs and shepherds assembled to celebrate the Spring. Their rejoicings open with a grand cheerful chorus. We cannot say enough of the taste and execution of Mr Vernon and Miss Young in this scene. The united sprightliness and simplicity of the duet was truly admirable. [Song given, followed by a brief description of the parting of the shepherds, the announcement of Peace so they won't have to part, and special commendation for the various songs of Mr Vincent, and Mr Norris.] We will venture to prophesy that it will be more and more admired at every representation; though perhaps it may not fall in with the Taste of the Groundlings, who, like Polonius, are for a Jig or a Tale of Bawdry, or they sleep (Public Advertiser)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years [acted 28 Dec. 1787. Toms is identified in Morning Herald, 22 Sept. 1795: A Mr Toms made a probationary essay last night in the character of Romeo. The bills erroneously announced it as his first appearance on this stage [cg]; for his unsuccessful attempt in Young Norval [i.e. Douglas], about five years ago, on the same boards, is perfectly within our recollection. London Chronicle, 22 Sept. 1795, also refers to Toms as Douglas. European Magazine, Oct. 1790, p. 305, gives the name as Turner, but in Oct. 1795, p. 273, states that Toms performed on one night only "a few years since."]. Afterpiece [1st time; BALL. P 2 (?), by James Byrne, based partly on his Nootka Sound, and in May 1793 agin altered as The Shipwreck; or, French Ingratitude. Not in Larpent MS; not published; synopsis of action in Diary, 5 Oct.]: A Ballet Pantomime, with new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. The Overture and Music compiled by Byrne, from Haydn, Rochefort, Pleyel, Gyrowetz, Reeve, Pieltain, Dibdin. The new Music by Shield. On account of some Scenes which are introduced from the Entertainment of Nootka Sound (performed last Season [on 4 June 1790]) Half Price will be taken. [This alludes to the custom of not llowing half-price during the run of entirely new pantomimes.] Paid Brodie, for Stoves for the Theatre, #19 8s. Receipts: #207 8s. 6d. (201.16.0; 5.12.6)

Event Comment: [K+King Henry VIII] Containing the Death of the Duke of Buckinghamv; the Tryal and Divorce of Queen Catherinev; the Death of Cardinal Wolseyv; the Christening of Queen Elizabethv; and many other Historical Passages. [A customary notice for all Henry VIII bills this season. It will not be repeated below.] Receipts: #140 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Widow and Four Children of the late Mr Follett. [John Follett had died in Jan. 1799. Address by John Cartwright Cross (Monthly Mirror, June 1799, p. 367).] Receipts: #416 7s. 9d. (120.4.3; 4.1.0; tickets: 292.2.6)

Event Comment: Benefit Young Boman and Young Pervil, who lately acted the Part of Gomez in The Spanish Fryar. Admission as 21 May

Event Comment: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. [Note repeated in subsequent bills. Larpent MS 337 casts the Prelude as follows: Manager-Younger; Author-$Kniveton; Carpenter-$Davis; Mr Reinhold-$Mr Lewes; Chairmen-$Saunders, $Fox">Dyer; Prompter-$Younger; Author-$Kniveton; Carpenter-$Davis; Mr Reinhold-$Mr Lewes; Chairmen-$Saunders, $Fox; Young Lady, her first appearance; servant.] Receipts: #199 5s

Event Comment: Benefit the Young Persons that perform the Play. Written by Mr Otway

Event Comment: Benefit for Younger. Tickets deliver'd by Bryan and Branson will be taken. Tickets sold at doors will not be admitted. Charges #65 15s. Balance to Younger #58 10s. plus income from tickets. Younger 70 129 159 #52 15s. Bryan 4 49 61 #14 9s. Branson 26 102 134 #35 4s.@Total ticket value #102 8s. (Account Book).@ Rec'd #20 a year improv'd rent of the houses in Bow St. and part of the effects of the late John Rich...#250. Receipts: #124 5s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Younger. Tickets deliver'd for Macbeth , by Branson and Miss Helme, will be taken. Mr Younger being oblig'd by Mr Powell's illness, to change his play of Macbeth to the above tragedy, humbly hopes for the Indulgence of his Friends and the Public in general. Charges #67 9s. Balance to Younger #18 3s. 6d. plus #48 9s. from tickets (Box 97; Pit 110; Gallery 77). [Branson and Miss Helme seem to have borne none of the charges and to have received full value for their tickets]: Branson #33 (Box 29; Pit 99; Gallery 109); Miss Helme #16 14s. (Box 1; Pit 63; Gallery 70). Receipts: #85 12s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mr Lacy a Proprietor of this Theatre made his first appearance upon the Stage in the part of Alexander. He is very Tall, & Thin, a good Voice but His Fright took away from it's power--he was rec'ed with Applause. Mr Garrick wrote a New Occasional Prologue to introduce him, which was Spoken by Mr King & rec'ed with great Applause (Hopkins Diary). Paid 4 days list at #91 8s. 10d. per diem #365 15s. 4d.; Mr J. French on Acct #10 10s. (Treasurer's Book). [The Westminster Magazine commented on Willoughby Lacy's performance (Oct. 1774): "His performance was far from answering the expectations we had been taught to form from a friend and pupil of our English Roscius. Indeed Mr Lacy is a very young man: therefore we ought not to draw the line of our expectation. His figure is at present lank, awkward, and unengaging; his voice distinctly powerful, but inharmonious; his action outre, vulgar and forced: his attitudes unnatural, affected and disgustful; and his delivery a continued rant, without proper change, a pleasing variety, or a just discrimination of the necessary difference of tone demanded by the different passions. These...capital defects...are not unsurmountable...The play was prefaced by a new Prologue, evidently the production of Mr Garrick. It had some humor and was well received. The purport of it was to beg favor for the hero of the evening, whom it compared to a young swimmer, who had tried to float in two shallow streams, and was now about to venture himself in the great deep. This image is certainly an apt one, though, it is no great compliment to the audiences of Norwich and Birmingham."] Receipts: #248 19s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit Cross (Prompter) and Mrs Cross. Mainpiece not acted for 40 years [see 22 Dec. 1710]. Written by the author of The Yeoman of Kent [Thomas Baker]. Tickets deliver'd by Mr Burton will be taken. Tickets to be had of Cross at his lodgings over against the Rose Tavern in Russell St., Covent Garden