 Joining the repertory company at Oxford Playhouse, he remained there, on and off, for three seasons and, by March 1937, was at the Embassy and Savoy theatres, playing Mago in "The Road to Rome".In 1938, he was Robin in "Only Yesterday" at the Intimate Theatre during February, Ferdinand in "The Tempest" and Feste in "Twelfth Night" at Regent Park's Open Air Theatre during June–July, Edgar Malleson in "Serena Blandish" at the Gate Theatre Studio during September, and Gerald in "Ma's Bit O'Brass" at the Q Theatre during October.In 1939 he had a notable success portraying Mervyn Brudge in "Little Ladyship" at the Strand Theatre during February and, during March, played Christopher Hatton in "Drake" at the Coliseum Theatre for King George's Pension Fund for Actors.