Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Merope, announced on playbill of 4 Jan. "We played last night Much Ado about Nothing, and had an apology to make for the change of three principal parts. About twelve o'clock Mr Henderson sent word he was not able to play. We got Mr Lewis from Covent Garden, who supplied the part of Benedick. Soon after Mr Parsons sent word he could not play. Mr Moody supplied the part of Dogberry; and about four in the afternoon Mr Vernon sent word he could not play. Mr Mattocks supplied his part of Balthazar...In the middle of the first act, a message was brought me that Mr Lamash (who was to play the part of Borachio) was not come to the House. I had nobody there that could go on for it, so I was obliged to cut his scenes in the first and second acts entirely out, and got Mr Wrighten to go on for the remainder of the part. At length we got the play over without the audience finding it out. We had a very bad house. Mr Parsons is not able to play in The School for Scandal to-morrow night; do not yet know how we shall be able to settle that" (Garrick, Private Correspondence, II, 328-29: Hopkins, prompter,in letter to Garrick, 6 Jan. 1779. He does not state who took Wrighten's place as the Sexton.).] On account of the sudden Illness of a Principal Performer, the new Pantomime [The Wonders of Derbyshire, announced on playbill of 4 Jan.] is obliged to be deferred till Friday. Receipts: #74 11s. (48.19; 25.10; 0.2)

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. The Double Deception [announced on playbill of 29 Apr.], on account of the Benefits, is obliged to be deferred till Thursday next. Receipts: #240 2s. (222.9.0; 17.9.6; 0.3.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: The characters to be entirely new dressed. The Doors to be opened at 5:00. To begin at 6:00

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Wells. Morning Herald, 22 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Wells, No. 417, Strand. Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years [not acted since 24 Apr. 1779]. Receipts: #172 2s. 6d. (64/16/0; 26/7/6; 0/6/0; rickets: 80/13/0) (charge: #108 4s. 2d.)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Nash, Helme, Daglish, Dale, Brigg, Barthrope, Master Pulley, Mrs Lewis, Mrs Byrne will be taken. [In mainpiece the playbill retains Du-Bellamy as Lord Aimworth and Williames as Mervin, but on the Kemble playbill their names are deleted and MS annotations substitute Williames and Fawcett. This was Mrs Cargill's last appearance in London. Subsequently she acted in India.] Receipts: #231 17s. 6d. (32/8/0; 22/9/6; 0/15/0; tickets: 176/5/0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wood, Percey, Cameron & Morris. [Palmer's 1st appearance as Archer was at the HAY, 17 Aug. 1779. Afterpiece in place of The Alchymist, announced on playbill of 30 May.] Receipts: #254 17s. (36/2; 19/6; 0/0; tickets: 199/9) (charge: none listed)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Blower. The last time of the Company's performing this Season. Public Advertiser, 23 May: Tickets to be had of Miss Blower, No. 12, Bedford-street, Covent-garden. Account-Book, 14 June: Paid various renters #19 16s. apiece. Receipts: #118 9s. (60/17; 28/4; 0/10; tickets: 28/18) (charge: none listed)

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. Receipts: #237 15s.6d.(223/13/0; 13/17/6; 0/5/0)

Event Comment: "The Dress of Belvidera was happily arranged; and the Continuation of the same Dress, without the usual Change in the Fifth Act, is an Alteration for the better. It escapes the well-pointed Reproof of The Critic: 'Enter Tilburina, mad, in white Satin'" {Public Advertiser, 21 Dec.). Receipts: #272 8s. (260/18/0; 11/1/6; 0/8/6)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Aickin as Gloster, but he "being ill, Gloster was played by Hull" (.Public Advertiser, 13 Jan.). Afterpiece in place of The Lyar, announced on playbill of 10 Jan.] Receipts: #277 17s. 6d. (265/11/0; 11/19/6; 0/7/0)

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. Receipts: #297 9s. (287/2; 8/12; 0/5; tickets not come in: 1/10)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wood, Percey, Cameron & J. Shade. The last Time of the Company's performing this Season. Account-Book, 1 July: Paid Renters #20 4s. apiece; received of Their Majesties #73. Receipts: #31 8s. (23/18/0; 6/11/6; 0/18/6; tickets: none listed) (charge:#105 6s.)

Event Comment: [The play is opened by Mrs Beverley and Charlotte, and when Mrs Siddons came on she was hissed because of a widespread report that she had refused to act for Brereton's benefit in Dublin. "A considerable period of time was lost; it might be forty minutes before the play began . . . We could perceive that the lady supported herself with a great degree of firmness under this very aweful trial--a trial which, in great measure, determined her future fame--perhaps her residence in this metropolis" (Town and Country Magazine, Oct. 1784, p. 510). "The Breretons have used her shockingly--Mrs B. was mean enough to sneak off the stage and leave her to stand the insults of a malicious party tho' she knew the whole disturbance was on her account and that her husband had at least been obliged to contradict the reports that concern'd him" (Betsy Sheridan, Journal, 1960, p. 32). Mrs Siddons explained to the audience that the stories circulated against her were "calumnies." She had, in fact, on 19 Aug., acted Jane Shore in Dublin for Brereton's benefit (Dublin Public Register, 19 Aug. 1784). "Though Mrs Siddons delivered this address with her usual judgment and articulation, and it was received with reiterated bursts of applause, yet she was so agitated when off the stage as to be very near fainting, and continued for some time much flurried" (Public Advertiser, 6 Oct.).] Receipts: #304 5s. (291/13; 12/11; 0/1)

Event Comment: "Both these actresses [Mrs Siddons and Mrs Wells] possess a quality which no other actresses have on the English stage--they are always, whether speaking or not speaking, in their part" (Public Advertiser, 4 Oct.). Receipts: #245 18s. (223/16; 21/8; 0/14)