Clifton Alderson’s first stage appearance was in 1882 in Manchester. His debut was impressive enough to earn him an invitation the next year in 1883 to the Stratford Memorial Theatre where he play in Henry IV, Part 1 and Macbeth. After a long hiatus when he toured several times in Australia and played in popular plays in London, he returned to Shakespeare. At the Queen’s Theatre, Manchester, he played Iago in 1907 and Jaques in As You Like It in 1908. There are no indications that he ever played Shakespeare again; instead, he appeared regularly in a number of popular contemporary plays on the London stage. When asked his favorite role, he answered unhesitatingly, “Iago.”