[3] There were several amateur productions of Alice after the book's publication, and Carroll himself considered dramatizing the story for the professional stage.

[4] In August 1886 the dramatist and critic Henry Savile Clarke wrote to Carroll asking to adapt Alice in Wonderland for the stage.

[5] Carroll was involved completely in the production from beginning to end, offering advice on everything from the adaptation of the novel to choosing the cast.

... Mr. Edgar Bruce, Mr. Walter Slaughter (who has written some charming music for the piece), and Mr. Savile Clarke, all deserve unstinted praise.

"[12] A review in The Theatre summarised the story as follows: The musical was frequently revived during West End Christmas seasons during the four decades after its premiere.

[21][19] Adult actors who appeared along with the mainly juvenile casts included Irene Vanbrugh as the Knave of Hearts (1888);[22] Ellaline Terriss as Alice and Seymour Hicks as the Hatter (1900);[16] Marie Studholme as Alice, Alice Barth as the Duchess and the Red Queen, Stanley Brett as the Mad Hatter and J. C. Buckstone as Tweedledee at the Prince of Wales's Theatre (1906);[17] Dan Leno Jr (1909, in a production conducted by Marjorie Slaughter, the composer's daughter);[23][24] and C. Hayden Coffin as the Hatter (1913 and 1921).