‘Christ Almighty!
Now I know there’s
a war on: they‘ve
started to ration the talent!’

Dirk appeared opposite this creative mentor in a single performance of Sherriff’s Journey’s End which gave him his first experience as a practitioner of theatre at its most serious. He was also billed as assistant stage manager, and he painted the poster. The all-round activity was intoxicating, and although he was by this time at Chelsea School of Art, he knew that the future lay in performance rather than in fine, decorative or commercial art. He auditioned successfully for the Old Vic School (see next page), but never had the opportunity to take his place there, because war broke out. Fortunately, through a contact of his father’s, Dirk was seen and given a job by Jack and Beatrice (Beatie) de Leon, whose Q Theatre at Kew Bridge had become famous as a showcase for new writing and for transferring productions into the West End. It had no permanent acting company, but Dirk joined the backstage staff, with the lure of landing a small part if the occasion arose. It soon did. A member of the cast of When We Are Married fell ill and Dirk was sent to meet its director, Basil Dearden, who is alleged to have said: ‘Christ Almighty! Now I know there’s a war on: they’ve started to ration the talent!’