| Citation |
CG-NH.763.005
7 May 1763:12 (422)
Thursday night there was the greatest riot in Covent Garden
theatre ever known, on account of the managers having
advertised the opera of Artaxerxes, with this remarkable
notice, 'That nothing under the full price can be taken.'
The audience would not suffer the opera to begin till Mr.
Beard came on the stage and gave them a categorical answer,
yes or no, concerning half prices. Several messages and
speeches passed, but none being satisfactory, about half an
hour past nine the audience grew so exasperated, that the
benches of the middle gallery, the seats in the boxes, the
glasses, and every thing else that could be come at, were
pulled to pieces. The rashness of the audience was so
great, that they cut away the wooden pillars between the
boxes, so that if the inside of them had not been iron, they
would have brought down the galleries upon their heads.
Four of the concerned are committed to the gatehouse. The
damage is computed at 2000 l at least.
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