Henry Pottinger Stephens

Pinafore became a hit, Stephens was inspired to collaborate with Solomon on a comic opera, Billee Taylor (1880), which played in London at the same time as The Pirates of Penzance.

Billee Taylor received favourable comparisons with Gilbert and Sullivan's piece in the press and caused its authors to be hailed briefly as the equals of Richard D'Oyly Carte's prized writing team.

In 1882, Stevens obtained Anthony Trollope's permission to adapt the latter's novel, Doctor Wortle's School for the stage.

[9] Also in 1882, Stephens and Solomon wrote two comic operas, Virginia and Paul, for the rising star Lillian Russell,[10] and Lord Bateman for the Gaiety Theatre.

[13] Stephens had further successes with The Vicar of Wide-awake-field and Little Jack Sheppard (both 1885, with music by Lutz) under George Edwardes's management at the Gaiety Theatre.