For the next two decades, the "girl" musicals, with popular songs by Lionel Monckton and lively books by Owen Hall, filled the Gaiety Theatre, including "The Shop Girl" (1894), "The Circus Girl" (1896), "A Runaway Girl" (1898), "The Orchid" (1903), "The Spring Chicken" (1905), "The Girls of Gottenberg" (1907), "Our Miss Gibbs" (1909), "The Sunshine Girl" (1912), and "After the Girl" (1914). The heroines were independent young women who often earned their own livings. The stories followed a familiar plot line – a chorus girl breaks into high society, a shop girl makes a good marriage. There was always a misunderstanding during act one and an engagement at the end. In the words of a contemporary review, Edwardes’ musicals were "Light, Bright and enjoyable." These musicals were widely imitated by other British producers, and, within a decade, in America.