Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. Public Advertiser, 23 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Bannister at Starzaker's, the Upper End of Bow-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #246 12s. 6d. [77.0.0; 13.1.6; 0.10.0; tickets: 156.1.0) (charge: #65 17s.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Altered from [The Artful Wife, by William? Taverner. [1st time; C 3, by George Colman elder. Not in Larpent MS; not published; synopsis of plot in London Chronicle, 20 May. Public Advertiser, 19 May, notes that the Prologue was the same as that spoken on 15 May 1777. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Servants to keep Places are to be at the door in Suffolk-street by Five o'clock. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]. On account of the Performers employed at other Theatres the second Night of Representation cannot be till Thursday, the 21st inst. [On this night, the 18th, Baddeley's name is in the playbills at both dl and hay.

Event Comment: [This was the last performance ever held in this theatre. On 27 June the Morning Chronicle published the playbill for that same evening: Love in a Village and Comical Courtship, but on 29 June the same newspaper reported that on "Friday [26 June] (soon after the performances of the evening were finished at China Hall, Rotherhithe) the theatre was discovered to be on fire. The flames increased so rapidly that in a short time the whole building, with all the scenes, stage, cloaths, &c. were consumed...There is no doubt but the theatre was wilfully set on fire." During the course of the summer it was rebuilt, but "Yesterday morning the play-house at China-hall, Rotherhithe, was blown down by the violence of the wind. The said play-house was burnt down last summer, but it being insured was rebuilt by contract, and the tiling of it completely finished last week" (Gazetteer, 26 Nov. 1778). And see 30 July.

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Digges. Mainpiece: Never acted here. [Barry had acted King Lear at this theatre on 15 July 1767, and Ross on 18 June 1770.] Afterpiece: Altered into 3 acts

Event Comment: By Permission [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for Mrs Jewell. The out-standing Tickets of Jewell's, for September the 2d, will be admitted

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. [The playbill assigns Posthumus to Reddish, but "On Saturday afternoon, at four o'Clock, Notice was sent of the extreme illness of Reddish; and Lewis (on Application) finding it impossible to attempt the Character of Posthumus at that very short Notice [not having performed it for some Seasons) it was obligingly undertaken by Brereton of Drury-Lane Theatre" (Public Advertiser, 26 Oct.). Mrs Crawford, as Mrs Barry, had 1st acted Imogen at dl, 1 Dec. 1770.

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by William Kenrick, based on The Country Lasses, by Charles Johnson]: With new Scenery, Dresses and Decorations. The Overture and the rest of the Music composed by Hook. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 2 Dec. 1778: This Day at Noon is published The Lady of the Manor (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. Afterpiece: Not acted these 3 years. Receipts: #157 13s. (120.18; 34.17; 1.18)

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: [Mainpiece in place of A Trip to Scarborough, announced on playbill of 9 Mar.] 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT I, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan]: With a new Scene invented and designed by DeLoutherbourg for the occasion. [Music composed by Thomas Linley Sen. Miss Wright is identified on playbill of 24 May; and see 19 Feb.] Public Advertiser, 27 Mar. 1779: This Afternoon at Four is published A Monody (1s. 6d.). Afterpiece: Not acted these 3 years. Receipts: #213 10s. 6d. (180.18.0; 32.6.0; 0.6.6). "Some of the verses [of the Monody] were responded [to] by the principal vocalists, accompanied by the band, who occupied an orchestra built on the stage, as at the oratorios. The whole of the performers [were] requested to appear in black clothes" (Parke, I, 17)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 60 years [1st acted at dl, 9 Jan. 1730]. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT I, probably by William Harricks. Larpent MS 506; not published]

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Younge. Mainpiece: Not acted these 7 years [acted 23 Apr. 1773]. Public Advertiser, 13 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Miss Younge at Thelwall's, King-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #217 16s. 6d. (83.16.0; 17.14.6; 9.1.0; tickets: 107.5.0) (charge: #64 15s.)

Event Comment: A New Serious Opera [1st time; SER 3, ascribed to Giovanni Gualberto Bottarelli]. The Music entirely new, composed by Sacchini. 2nd dance: The Music entirely new, composed by Charles Stamitz