Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Tragedy never performed before. This Tragedy was written by Mr Murphy & has great Merit, it is very carefully got up & well perform'd, & receiv'd uncommon Applause Mrs Barry Display great Tragick powers & receiv'd the vast Applause She merited--She will gain great Reputation in the part (Hopkins Diary). New Scenes, Dresses, Decorations. Theatrical Review, 26 Feb.: Mrs Barry rose beyond herself, if we may be allowed the expression, in the laborious Character of Euphrasia....The scenes and decorations were well adapted to the importance of the piece. The representation of the city of Syracusev, with a view of the sea; and the Temple scene, with the mausoleum, in particular are extremely well executed, and do credit to the theatre, and honor to the artists who designed and painted them. Paid two notes for Mr J. Aickin, per order #12 1s. 8d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #251 7s. 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: [This New Comedy (by Mrs Elizabeth Griffith) seems not to have been performed this night, according to the author's Preface to her Edition of 1772. Shuter had been unattentive and absent from many rehearsals]: At length though late [in the season] a day was appointed for the representation, and on that morning Mr Shuter appeared at rehearsal, pretty much in the same state as before, and confessed himself incapable of performing his part, that night. Upon which the play was oblig'd to be further postponed, and handbills were sent about at noon, to advertise town of the disappointment....A further final day was afterwards determined on, but the audience being out of humour at their former disappointment, called Mr Shuter to account for it, on his first appearance; which threw him into such confusion, that he was not able to get the better of it, throughtout the whole performance...in the hurry of his spirits the actor not only forgot his part, the deficiency of which he endeavoured to supply with his own dialect, but also seemed to lose all idea of the character he was to perform; and made the Governor appear in a light which the author never intended: that of a mean, ridiculous buffoon. [Mrs Griffith concluded her preface by relating how her friends stood by the piece, but two or three in the gallery, when it was given out again objected and threw an apple at the chandeliers, which so perturbed the management that the play was withdrawn. She therefore published it by subscription, prefixing the names of about 440 subscribers, persons of the first quality, including James Boswell, Edmund Burke, Col. Burgoyne, the Duke of Devonshire, David Garrick, Mrs Montague, William Richardson, and a host of writers, players, and people of fashion. This list provides a pretty good roster of those who filled the boxes and part of the pit of both theatres at the time.] Paid Younger #2 2s. for the license for A Wife in the Right (Account Book). Receipts: #218 12s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid Mr Dibdin's draft on Managers, #50; Mrs Weston 4 nights in the Garter in full, 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Mr Daigueville, First Dancer and Ballet Master at Drury Lane House, gives notice to the Nobility and Gentry, that he has an elegant dancing room, No. 38 Cow Lane, Snowhill; where he continues to teach every day the Dauphin's Minuet and others...Teaches abroad also when required; and at the request of his scholars, he will give a Ball on the 10th instant. The Gentlemen are desired to call at his house for the tickets 10s. 6d. each, to admit one Gentleman and a Lady. If any Gentleman wants the Ballroom for private assembly or concert they may have it for one or two nights in the week. Receipts: #159 6s. (Treasurer 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 Weston. [See Comment 24 April.] Afterpiece: A Comedy of Two Acts altered from Ben Jonson's Alchemist, by Francis Gentleman. Receipts: #242 12s. 6d. Charges: #64 13s. Profits to Weston: #177 19s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Macklin. Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. [See 27 Jan. 1770.] Afterpiece: For this night only this season (playbill). Charges #64 5s. Profit to Miss Macklin #19 4s., plus #43 from 172 Box tickets. Paid Whitefield one fourth year's salary due Lady Day last #25. Paid Mr Barber for a suit of regimentals embroider'd with gold, #12 12s. Paid Lowe and Lucas (linnen drapers) #13 19s.; Paid Evans for Spermecita candles as per bill #12. Paid Barrett (wax chandler) #3 4s. (Account Book). [Miss Macklin considered this a poor benefit, and on 6 May 1772 wrote to her father about the troubles she met in getting it underway. Woodward would not play in the farce since it did not belong to the theatre and since he had not be asked before she put his name in the bills. Kniveton labored hard and did quite well as Sir Archy. Ann Pitt so ill she could not do Lady Wrangle, but Mrs Hull sat up two nights, learned the part and acted it creditably (Harvard, Memoirs of Charles Macklin, Vol. II, pt. 2, after p. 55).] Receipts: #83 9s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sg Daigville & Signa Vidini. [24 April letter signed Ned Shuter dated from his Majesty's Bench of Justice, St Georges Fields: "Theatrical Memoirs giving circumstantial account of my family-Admit my father was a chairman, my mother sold oysters in winter and cucumbers in summer. I was not born in a cellar but in a two pair of stairs front room at one Mrs Merit's an eminent Chimney Sweeper, Vine Street, St Giles" (Winston MS 10). Thomas Weston's apology for the delay of his Benefit. It was owing to his distressed affairs which he had new laid open to the managers. See comment form Edinburg Evening Courant, 29 April.] Paid Renters #88 for Oratorio nights; Mr Dibdin's draft on managers #50; Master Brown 5 nights, #1 17s. 6d.; Rec'd from Messrs Smith and Stanley charges for 11 Oratorio nights at 28# per night, plus candles &c . #342 4s.; Rec'd stopages #9 16s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #151 4s. Charges: #65 11s. Profits to Daigville & Sga Vidini: #85 13s. (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: Afterpiece: By the Author of the Register Office [Reed]. By Permission and Particular Desire. The tragedy was originally written in Italian by Sg Fonidoso Dellarundo, of Civita Vecchia, and bequeathed by him, at his Decease, to an English Gentleman, with whom he had contracted an intimate Acquaintance. It was translated into English by the celebrated Mr Rone, and (considering the difference of the idiom between the two languages) it is thought equal at last, if not superior to the original (Public Advertiser)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: With alterations and additions, particularly Two Views of the Eruption of Mt Vesuviusv. [See 26 Dec. 1771.] Garrick has withdrawn his motion, King's Bench (Winston MS 10). [See 2 July 1772.] Paid Mrs Abington's cloaths, 2 weeks, #2; Paid Messrs Baddeley, Jacobs, Lings & Mrs Egerton, salary short-paid last week, 18s. 6d.; Paid Mr Weston's note to Mr Spencer #10 10s. [Mrs Abington's contract seems to have included #60 for clothes which she provided for herself. The amount was paid to her in 26 weekly payments of #2 each and 10 payments of #1 each throughout the season. No further listing of this expenditure will be made.] Paid 3 days salary list at #80 16s. 1d. per diem, #242 8s. 3d.; Mr S. French, 6 days, #1 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #162 13s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: N.B. The West Indian is oblig'd to be deferred. Paid Mr Vernon on note, #43 13s.; Housekeeper's bill #2 12s. 3d.; Properties 17s. 8d. (Treasurer's Book). [The housekeeper's bill was rendered weekly and the properties bill about every two weeks. The first averaged #8 7s. per week and totaled #310 for the season. The second averaged #2 4s. for a total of #81 14s. for the season. Neither will be itemized further.] Receipts: #248 2s. (Treasurer's 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: Mainpiece: Not played in two years. [See 20 May 1771.] Paid half years cleansing & lighting to Mich. Last for St Martin's #10 12s.; one years' ditto for 2 houses Vinegar Yard to ditto, #1 16s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #140 6s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The Rose is a New Musical performance of Two Acts by Dr Arne a very dull insipid piece. Mr G. protested against its being perform'd its being perform'd it was hiss'd from the beginning & wd not Suffer it to be given out again, therefore Mr King went on & told them it Should not be perform'd again until it be alter'd (Hopkins Diary). [Macmillan's note from Kemble differs slightly. See critical damnation of The Rose in British Theatre Article in The London Magazine, Dec. 1772.] Book of the Entertainment to be had at the Theatre (playbill). Paid Mr Petit for men's cloaths, #8 8s. CTreasurer's Book). [Reviewer for Town and Country Magazine (Theatre, No. XLI) disappointed with the Rose: "We are told that this precious piece of stuff is the production of an Oxford student; it may be so, of this every auditor is certain, that the collegian who penned it was so entirely lost in the pursuit of some abstruse study, that he has totally forgot grammar, common sense, and even his mother tongue...it was unanimously damn'd."] Receipts: #172 6s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: A New Pantomime of Mr Messinks went off with great Applause (Hopkins Diary). Music By Dibdin. New Scenes, Habits, and Machines. Nothing under Full Prices will be taken. [Repeated.] Paid 4 days salary list at #85 12s. 11d., #342 11s. 8d.; Miss Mansell on acct #5 5s.; Mr Clinch ditto, #6 6s.; Dr Arne for Mrs Bradley 2 nights per order #5 5s.; Stopages nil (Treasurer's Book). [Full description of the New Pantomime is given in the Westminster Magazine (January 1773): Harlequin born to the Pigmies comes to manhood, gets a job from the Register Office in a Nobleman's family where he meets Colombine. They love, and elope, a chase ensues through several noted places in London, which are detailed in the review. The union of the lovers is finally consended to, and all closes with dancing. "Some of the paintings in the scenery are well executed; and the generality of Mr Dibdin's music deserves equal praise." In it Mrs Wrighten gives a ludicrous imitation of Miss Catley's manner of singing. The reviewer's general thesis about the London stage of this period, given first in the preliminary number, 1 Jan. 1773 continues: "The Stage seems now buried in universal darkness...The Publick for several weeks, has been fed with the lean carcass of two villainous pantomimes."] Receipts: #162 13s. 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: Mainpiece: Not acted in two years. [See 15 May 1771.] Paid Mr Weston per Mr G. G's note #18 7s. Receipts: #148 3s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Lessingham. Mainpiece: Not acted these 5 years. [See 29 Dec. 1766.] Afterpiece: A Comedy of two acts taken from Vanbrugh's Relapse [by John Lee?]. Tickets by Mas. Harris will be taken. Charges #65 18s.; Profit to Mrs Lessingham #39 18s. 6d., plus #79 13s. from tickets (Box 166; Pit 131; Gallery 185) (Account Book). [The Gentleman who played King Henry was George Savile Carey (Hogan).] Receipts: #105 16s. 6d