During the evening, a valuable string of pearls belonging to Mrs. Langford is stolen, and suspicion falls on Conroy, while Lloyd pursues Nellie.

[8] By 26 April no firm opening date had been fixed, but Roy Royston, Anita Elson, and the Forde Sisters had been engaged to appear.

The production was at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, from 17 to 29 November 1924, when the cast consisted of Reginald Purdell, Sylvia Caine, Arthur Brander, Patrina Carlyon, Bernard Clifton, Bryan Danzil, Babs Farren, Madge Haines, Edwin Henderson, Eileen Leslie, George McCloskie, Hugh Reading, Charles Ross, and Tom Woods.

[14] The New York critics considered the piece to be an old-fashioned and sentimental Edwardian musical comedy which was out of place in 1922, but despite this it proved a huge success.

The Times said "Better than the average musical comedy and as good as any that has been in London", the Pall Mall Gazette "the best thing we have had since The Belle of New York", the Star "a real novelty full of swift surprises, haunting melodies, dancing phenomena, and playful burlesque".

The Daily Telegraph made a prediction: "For months all New York has been drawn to see, to listen to, and to applaud Little Nellie Kelly, and London is going to follow its example for an even longer period.