 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 <unk> 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 . 
