The story explores the changing relationship between the younger son of a baronet, who has forsaken inheritance for composing, and an orphaned country girl, now working in a cheap London lodging house.

[4] Liebler & Company's Merely Mary Ann opened in London during September 1904, with Eleanor Robson and Ada Dwyer but otherwise a local supporting cast.

[5] It ran for over one hundred performances, ceasing on December 15, 1904, because Eleanor Robson had to sail the next day to keep touring commitments in America.

[6] It was during this run that George Bernard Shaw first saw and met Eleanor Robson and determined to write Major Barbara with her in mind.

[7] Eleanor Robson and Ada Dwyer reprised their roles for a brief Broadway revival starting February 1907, playing Wednesday matinees in repretory with another Liebler & Company production, Salomy Jane, in which they both starred.

Mrs. Leadbatter has Rosie add an extra charge for gas to Lancelot's account; he owes so much six shillings more won't matter.

A street musician plays Kiss Me Good-Night Dear Love outside Lancelot's window until he desperately tosses out a coin to stop it.

Brahmson reveals Peter is Keely Lesterre and was paid £4000 for his popular song; he advances Lancelot £40 to provide the music for lyrics to another called Adieu and Farewell.

A sudden commotion from the hallway is heard as Mrs. Leadbatter and Rosie tell Mary Ann she can no longer do any work in the lodging house.

[fn 5] Mary Ann does comic battle with Rosie and Mrs. Leadbatter, trying to perform her duties which they insist are now beneath her.

Lady Chelmer has been guiding Mary Ann, now styled Miss Marian, in learning the speech and manners of the gentility.

He plays Kiss Me Good-Night, Dear Love on the piano, and suddenly Miss Marian reappears, wearing her old apron and cap: Mary Ann has returned.

Tyler had spotted Eleanor Robson at Hamlin's Grand Opera House in Chicago, playing a small part in Arizona, and became determined to sign her to a personal management contract.

[15] Though Liebler & Company had lost money producing Zangwill's Children of the Ghetto,[4] they were willing to take a chance on Merely Mary Ann.

Edwin Arden, Ada Dwyer, and Laura Hope Crews were deemed good, but the rest of the cast only "fair".

[25] The Indianapolis Journal reviewer expressed a common opinion about the fourth act, that it was "unnatural" and "hardly worthy of a detailed description".

[23] The Dayton Herald critic thought the play "a sweet, simple story told by two principals" with the other players barely necessary, but chided Liebler & Company anyway for a supporting cast that was "incompetant" and "weak".

[28] The reviewer for the New-York Tribune said Eleanor Robson understood the character but failed to move her audience, through inexperience and obvious imitation of Maude Adams.

[27] This was an outlier opinion; the Brooklyn Times critic spoke for the mainstream when they said "Eleanor Robson as Mary Ann scored a conspicuous success".

[28] The Brooklyn Citizen concurred, reporting that Robson was well received by the large audience and expressed the character with the "most delicious naivete imaginable" without strain.

[11] The New York Times reviewer pointed up the contrast in the characters of Mary Ann and Lancelot; how she was natural and without pretense, while he affects a moral position that won't let him accept interest on Peter's debt but allows him to take advantage of a poor innocent.

[32] The MacMillan Company issued a new edition of the novelette Merely Mary Ann, illustrated with photos from the stage play, on February 20, 1904.

[33] The New York Times reported that even a week after moving Merely Mary Ann was still "drawing big crowds at the Criterion".

[34] On March 28, 1904, the production celebrated one hundred performances on Broadway by distributing souvenir copies of Zangwill's original story to the audience.

The final night's performance was marked by long applause after every act and floral bouquets filling the lobby, "the greenroom and the star's dressing room".