Event Comment: Tamerlane (usually presented this Evening) is obliged to be declined, on Account of the Indisposition of two principal Performers. [Mainpiece in place of King Richard III, announced on playbill of 2 Nov.] Receipts: #192 4s. 6d. (191.6.6; 0.18.0)

Event Comment: Epilogue by David Garrick. Second Ballet: with New Scenes [by deLoutherbourg] and Dresses [by Lupini]. Two new Grand Ballets, composed by Gallet, were introduced in this Piece (The Maid of the Oaks) in which Gallet and Mlle Dupre made their first Appearance upon the Eng. Stage--the first Dance, which was to be in the 2nd Act, was obliged to be deferred till the end of the 3rd Act, as Lupini, who made the Dancers Dresses, had not brought them to the House--this put us all into great Confusion, and Dodd made an Apology to the Audience, that an unforseen Accident had prevented the Dance being done in the proper Place. At the beginning of the 3rd Act most of the Dresses were brought, but not all, and some of the Dancers were obliged to put on what Dresses could be got for them--They were all very much confused--the Music also was not perfect. Gallet went on, and spoke in French to the Audience, and told the Band that he wished they had any Heads. In the first Dance Mlle Dupre fell down, and a little after Gallet fell down, but (they) did not hurt themselves, and the Dance went on--and even with all these Disadvantages was much applauded (Hopkins Diary). Receipts: #181 19s. 6d

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 16 years [not acted since 27 Oct. 1758]. With Alterations [by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Prologue by David Garrick]. The Characters new dressed. This Play is revived with Alterations (by R. B. Sheridan Esq) and a new occasional Prologue written by Mr Garrick? and spoken by Dodd, both well received. Miss Essex made her first Appearance upon this stage in Silvia, a small mean Figure and shocking Actress, so bad that she is to do the Part no more. Reddish was very imperfect in Vainlove from the Beginning, but was so very much so in the last Act, that the Audience hissed very much, and cryed out, 'Off, Reddish, Off!" He went forward, and addressed them as follows, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, I have been honoured with your Favour and Protection for these ten years past, and I am very sorry to give any cause for your Displeasure now; but having undertaken the Part at a very short Warning, in order to strengthen the Bill, and having had but two Rehearsals for it, puts it out of my Power to do Justice to the Part, or myself.' The Play then went on. So great a Lye was never delivered to an Audience by any Actor or Actress before. He had the Part at least six weeks in his Possession, and repeated Notice to be ready in it, and six Rehearsals was called for it,--indeed, he attended but three. Vernon undertook to study the Part at eleven o'clock to-night, and to perform it to-morrow (Hopkins Diary). [Miss Essex was from the hay.] Receipts: #209 6s

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Miss Leeson, but she "being suddenly indisposed, Mrs Whitefield yesterday, at very short notice, undertook the part of Cleora" (Morning Chronicle, 7 Feb.).] Paid Woodfall on acct. of his Two [Benefit] Nights #150 [and see 20 Feb.]. Receipts: #233 17s. (230.14; 3.3)

Event Comment: [Public Advertiser, 11 Feb. prints the text of the first of Tenducci's two songs, Lo! a stranger now before you.] Receipts: #217 16s. (200.19.0; 15.17.6; 0.19.6)

Event Comment: The Devil upon Two Sticks [announced in Public Advertiser, 5 Aug.] is obliged to be deferred on account of the Indisposition of Foote

Event Comment: [Afterpiece in place of The Two Misers, announced on playbill of 13 Nov.]Receipts: #101 13s. (100.12; 1.1)

Event Comment: The New Tragedy of Percy [announced on playbill of 8 Dec.] is obliged to be deferred till to-morrow, on Account of the Indisposition of two principal Performers. Receipts: #99 19s. (97.19; 2.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: With Alterations and Additions, particularly two Grand New Scenes designed by DeLoutherbourg [see 2 Jan.]. Receipts: #163 13s. 6d. (122.15.0; 40.11.0; 0.7.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. Afterpiece: To conclude with a grand View of Greenwich Hospital designed by DeLoutherbourg. [This was included in all subsequent performances; notice of the two New Scenes (see 1 Jan.) is omitted. Henderson, under his stage name of Courtney, had 1st acted Capt. Bobadil at Bath, 21 Nov. 1772.] Receipts: #230 1s. 6d. (204.9.0; 25.0.6; 0.12.0)

Event Comment: King Lear [announced on playbill of 31 Jan.] is obliged to be deferred on account of the Indisposition of Mrs Hartley and Lewis. The Rehearsal having been found too tedious in Representation, and Part of the Dialogue between Bayes and the two Gentlemen wholly obsolete, it has been thought advisable to...reduce the Piece to Three Acts [from the original five]. Receipts: #219 10s. [216.4.6; 3.5.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Hopkins, prompter, and Mrs Hopkins. Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. Afterpiece: A Dramatic Entertainment (in two parts) of Singing, Dancing and Dialogue in Honour of Shakespeare. In which a Pageant. The Music by Dibdin. Public Advertiser, 10 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Hopkins, No. 7, Little Russel-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #280 7s. (169.5; 21.0; 1.2; tickets: 89.0) (charge: #64 4s.)

Event Comment: The natural grandeur and commanding air of [Mrs Yate's] deportment contradicts the whole idea of the part...We cannot help thinking that [the two characters] would be much better play'd throughout, if they were exchanged; the haughty Alicia would sit much more characteristically on Mrs Yates, and Mrs Crawford would give a degree of plaintive softness to Jane Shore which seems to have been intended by the author (Gazetteer, 3 Nov.)

Event Comment: By Authority of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Stewart and M'Donald. Mainpiece: With new Dresses and Decorations. Afterpiece: With several new additions and two new characters. [Authors of Prologues unknown.] The Doors to be opened at 5:00. To begin at 6:00. No Person whatever to be admitted behind the Scenes, nor any Money returned after the Curtain is drawn up. Books of the Farce to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: [Mrs Lloyd is identified in playbill of 18 Aug. She has "the name of Lloyd, but [is] better known by the name of Mrs C@@we (who played several parts at the military theatre of Boston in America about two years ago)" (Morning Post, 16 July).

Event Comment: Benefit for Lamash, Holcroft & Norris. 2nd piece: Taken from Foote's Devil Upon Two Sticks. 3rd piece: To conclude with a grand representation of a Regattav. Tickets delivered by Shade and Mrs Pulley will be taken. Receipts: #190 4s. 6d. (27.9.0; 18.6.6; 1.18.0; tickets: 142.11.0) (charge: #92 4s. 4d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Subscription opened in favour of the West India Sufferers [from two hurricanes that had devastated the West Indies on 3 and 10 Oct. 1780]

Event Comment: bTo finish with: Medee et Jason. As 26 June. Only one act of the said Opera can be performed between the two Grand Ballets, owing to their being very long. By Particular desire of several of the Nobility; being positively the last Time of performing this Season [see 30 June]

Event Comment: The Devil upon Two Sticks [announced on playbill of 27 July] is obliged to be deferred on account of Edwin's Illness

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author [of mainpiece, who is named in the Account-Book, but not on the playbill. The playbill retains Henderson, but on the Kemble playbill his name is deleted and a MS annotation substitutes Wroughton's.]. Account-Book, 19 Nov.: Paid Holcroft in full for his [two] Benefit Nights for Duplicity #100. Receipts: none listed (charge: #105)

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; prel i,by Leonard Macnally. MS:Larpent 601; not published; synopsis of plot in Public Advertiser, 24 Sept.]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon (only) at the Stage-door. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. The Doors will open at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 4 Nov.]. The Only Entrance to the Upper Gallery is in the Passage which leads from the Piazza to Hart-street, and the Two Shilling Gallery communicates with the Passage in Bow-street, as well as with that from the Piazza. The Passages to the Pit and Boxes remain as before. Receipts: #314 18s. (313/18; 1/0)

Event Comment: "I have been for two days in town, and seen Mrs Siddons . . . She is a good figure, handsome enough, though neither nose nor chin according to the Greek standard, beyond which both advance a good deal. Her hair is either red, or she has no objection to its being thought so, and had used red powder. Her voice is clear and good; but I thought she did not vary its modulations enough, nor ever approach enough to the familiar--but this may come when more habituated to the awe of the audience of the capital. Her action is proper, but with little variety; when without motion, her arms are not genteel ... I treated my eyes, not only with Mrs Siddons but a harlequin farce. But there again my ancient prejudices operated: how unlike the pantomimes of Rich, which were full of wit, and coherent, and carried on a story! What I now saw was Robinson Crusoe: how Aristotle and Bossu, had they ever written on pantomimes, would swear! It was a heap of contradictions and violations of the costume. Friday is turned into Harlequin, and falls down at an old man's feet that I took for Pantaloon, but they told me it was Friday's father. I said, 'Then it must be Thursday'" (Walpole [3 Nov. 1782], XII, 356-57, 359). Receipts: #241 6s. (222/4/0; 18/15/6; 0/6/6)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Aickin as Dionysius, but on the Kemble playbill his name is deleted. Of the name substituted in MS all but the 1st two letters have been cut by the binder. For Mahon as Dionysius see 12 Feb. 1778.] Receipts: #212 5s. (208/16; 3/9)