th ▁birth day . ▁▁ ▁Neil ▁had ▁developed ▁his ▁skills ▁and ▁reputation ▁as ▁an ▁actor ▁though ▁his ▁te en age ▁years ▁at ▁Sto ke ▁School s ▁Theatre , ▁Sto ke ▁Re pert ory ▁Theatre ▁and ▁Sto ke ▁Original ▁Theatre , ▁performing ▁at ▁the ▁Edinburgh ▁Fr inge ▁Festival ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁His ▁application ▁to ▁the ▁Gu ild hall ▁School ▁of ▁Music ▁and ▁D rama ▁resulted ▁in ▁an ▁un cond itional ▁offer , ▁which ▁p aved ▁the ▁way ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁steps ▁in ▁his ▁the atr ical ▁growth . ▁Ar riv ing ▁with ▁no ▁educational ▁grant ▁and ▁no ▁living ▁funds , ▁he ▁was ▁helped ▁by ▁the ▁school ▁to ▁obtain ▁an ▁educational ▁grant , ▁and ▁he ▁' so fa - sur f ed ' ▁for ▁his ▁first ▁year ▁with ▁friends . ▁During ▁this ▁time ▁he ▁and ▁a ▁fellow ▁student ▁started ▁a ▁street ▁theatre ▁act , ▁which ▁gained ▁them ▁an ▁agent , ▁and ▁hence ▁the ▁required ▁ 4 0 ▁hours ▁of ▁book ings ▁to ▁gain ▁an ▁Equ ity ▁card . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Act ing ▁Of fer ed ▁the ▁leading ▁role ▁as ▁Robin ▁H ood ▁in ▁The ▁Theatre ▁Ch ipping ▁N orton ' s ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁p antom ime , ▁Morris sey ▁agreed ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁Gu ild hall ▁School ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁term ▁of ▁his ▁third ▁year . ▁He ▁quickly ▁paid ▁off ▁his ▁student ▁deb ts ▁by ▁landing ▁parts ▁in ▁film ▁and ▁theatre ▁produ ctions . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁Morris sey ▁played ▁A ble ▁Se