 Shaw was one of three children born to Dr. Geoffrey Shaw , the music master at Gresham 's School , a Norfolk independent boarding school , where Shaw began his education . His uncle , Martin Shaw , was a composer of church music , and his family 's love of music heavily influenced Shaw 's career path . Shaw made his acting debut at age eight on the London stage as one of the juvenile band in The Cockyolly Bird at the Royal Court Theatre in Chelsea on New Year 's Day of 1914 . During his time at Gresham 's , he also played Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew , his first of many performances from the works of William Shakespeare ; schoolmate W. H. Auden , who would go on to become a highly regarded poet , portrayed Katherina in the play opposite him . After Gresham 's , Shaw planned to become a painter and spent two years at the Slade School of Fine Art before switching his interests to acting ; regarding the change , his father informed him , " I wondered when you would come to your senses . " He earned a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in Bloomsbury , London . Actor Charles Laughton enrolled in the Academy at the same time as Shaw , who later said his first impression of Laughton was " a poor fat boy " . Although Shaw and his fellow students initially felt pity for Laughton , they were quickly impressed with his talent . 
