Clarke took up writing in London and within a year or two was listed in advertising for ''
Cassell's Magazine, where he was described as one of its "well-known" contributors. He gradually became known as a journalist on various subjects, while writing light literature and the books and lyrics for musicals. He also wrote the English adaptation of Gillette de Narbonne'', which opened at London's
Royalty Theatre on 19 November 1883, with additional music by
Walter Slaughter and
Hamilton Clarke. The production was not a success and closed within a month. '' (1906) In August 1886 Clarke wrote to
Lewis Carroll for permission to adapt ''
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking-Glass (1871) into a Christmas musical stage show. There had been some amateur productions of Alice'', and for the first and only time Carroll agreed to his work being performed on the professional stage. Carroll soon accepted Clarke's proposal, but with several stipulations: "There are one or two
wishes on the subject, which I will name for your consideration: but the only essential consideration is that I should have your written guarantee that, neither in the libretto nor in any of the stage business, should any coarseness, or anything suggestive of coarseness, be admitted.... This piece ought to be an Operetta (like
The Mikado) and not a
Pantomime." Clarke wrote the book and lyrics for the successful musical
Alice in Wonderland with music by
Walter Slaughter and additional lyrics by
Aubrey Hopwood. It opened as "A musical dream play in two acts" on 23 December 1886 at the
Prince of Wales Theatre, London, where it gained popularity, with
Phoebe Carlo in the title role. Carroll was fully involved, offering advice on everything from adaptation to choosing the cast. The musical had twelve
West End revivals between 1888 and 1934. In 1890 Clarke was called on to adapt
Thackeray's
The Rose and the Ring which again was set to music by
Walter Slaughter. but it is not known which newspaper he owned. Clarke wrote original plays and adapted stage works from German and French. He edited the
Court Circular from 1872 until his death in 1893. He was a keen amateur photographer.
The Latest News (becoming its editor in 1870),
Punch,
The London Evening Standard,
The Globe,
The Graphic,
The Theatre, ''
St James's Gazette, The World, The Illustrated London News, and The Examiner''. While continuing with journalism, Clarke wrote nothing further for the theatre in 1891–1892 due to illness, although an early 1893 press statement stated that he was writing the libretto for a new opera for the
Shaftesbury Theatre. ==Death==