bˌʌt ɪt wʌz bˈæk ɪn sˈaʊθ ˈæfɹɪkə æt sənt dʒˈɑːnz kˈɑːlɪdʒ wˌɛɹ hiː sᵻmˈɛntᵻd hɪz lˈʌv fɔːɹ ˈæktɪŋ, plˈeɪɪŋ dˈɪk dˈɛdaɪ ɪnðə ɡˈɪlbɚt ænd sˈʌlɪvən mjˈuːzɪkəl ˈeɪtʃ.ˈɛm.ˈɛs. pˈɪnɐfˌoːɹ ænd wˈɪnɪŋ bˈɛst ˈæktɚ fɚðə ɹˈoʊl ʌv mˈɪstɚ. ɡlˈʌm ɪnðə ɡlˈʌmz kˈɑːmədi skˈɛtʃ, "ˈɛlɛŋɡˈeɪdʒmənt".
But it was back in South Africa at St John's College where he cemented his love for acting, playing Dick Deadeye in the Gilbert & Sullivan musical H.M.S. Pinafore and winning Best Actor for the role of Mr. Glum in The Glums comedy sketch, "L'Engagement".