Although his father wanted him to go to university to study classics , Carthy left school at 17 and worked behind the scenes as a prompter at the open air theater in Regent 's Park , then as an assistant stage manager ( ASM ) on a tour of The Merry Widow , and then at Theatre in the Round in Scarborough .
He later worked as an assistant stage manager ( ASM ) on a tour of The Merry Widow .