dʒˈɛŋkɪnz wʌz ˈɔːlsoʊ θˈiəɾɚ kɹˈɪɾɪk fɚðə spɛktˈeɪɾɚ fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti ˈeɪt tə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi wˈʌn ænd hɪz fˈɜːst stˈeɪdʒ plˈeɪ, ɪlˌuːmᵻnˈeɪʃənz, wʌz pɚfˈɔːɹmd æt ðə lˈɪɹɪk θˈiəɾɚ, hˈæmɚsmˌɪθ, ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi.
Jenkins was also theatre critic for The Spectator from 1978 to 1981 and his first stage play, Illuminations, was performed at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, in 1980.