 Gilbert's first solo success came a few days after "Hush-a-Bye Baby" premiered.His friend and mentor, Tom Robertson, was asked to write a pantomime but did not think he could do it in the two weeks available, and so he recommended Gilbert instead.Written and rushed to the stage in 10 days, "Dulcamara, or the Little Duck and the Great Quack", a burlesque of Gaetano Donizetti's "L'elisir d'amore", proved extremely popular.