After Gilbert's first offering for the Gallery of Illustration – "No Cards", with music by Reed, Gilbert paired with Clay on "Ages Ago", the first of a successful series of collaborations between the author and composer that would continue for the next seven years. In the eight months between the productions of "No Cards", and "Ages Ago", Gilbert's dramatic style had developed. "Ages Ago", with its double-layered plot and its complex relationships among the characters, is more sophisticated than "No Cards", which was a simple farce. In addition, the lyrics move the plot forward more than in the earlier work.