 Gilbert wrote "Foggerty's Fairy" for British actor Edward Sothern, who had commissioned two earlier plays from Gilbert, "Dan'l Druce, Blacksmith" and "The Ne'er-do-weel".Sothern had not been satisfied with "The Ne'er-do-weel", despite various rewrites, and he refused the piece.He had already paid Gilbert for the play, and Gilbert was unable immediately to pay him back.