The house is elegantly furnished and supposed for the size to
be the most commodious on the continent. The scenes, which are
new and well designed; the dresses, the music, and, what had a very
pleasing effect, the disposition of the lights, all contributed to the
satisfaction of the audience.

The season lasted until May 19, 1774, during
which time forty-eight plays and twenty-nine farces
were presented. Among the novelties were "Julius
Caesar," seen for the first time in America.

These were the last appearances of the American
company before the Revolution. On the close of the
season, Mr. Hallam and Miss Hallam went to Lon-
don to secure recruits in view of another theatrical
campaign the following winter, and meantime Hal-
lam sent out to America, to substitute himself, his
cousin, Thomas Wignell, who afterwards became one
of the most important figures on the American stage,
especially in Philadelphia where he was the first man-
ager of the Chestnut Street Theatre.

But before Wignell reached here, the relations
between the Colonies and the mother country had
grown so critical that a Congress met in Philadelphia,
October 24, 1774, to take concerted action, and one of
the resolutions adopted called for the immediate sus-
pension of all public amusements. American patriots
agreed to discountenance and discourage every
species of extravagance and dissipation and among
others named "gaming, cockfighting, exhibition of
shows, plays and other expensive diversions and
entertainments."

The theatres were immediately closed in conse-
quence and the players sailed for the British West
Indies.

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