The actor-manager Nigel Playfair, a friend of Gielgud's family, saw him in a student presentation of J. M. Barrie's "The Admirable Crichton". Playfair was impressed and cast him as Felix, the poet-butterfly, in the British premiere of the Čapek brothers' "The Insect Play". Gielgud later said that he made a poor impression in the part: "I am surprised that the audience did not throw things at me." The critics were cautious but not hostile to the play; it did not attract the public and closed after a month. While still continuing his studies at RADA, Gielgud appeared again for Playfair in "RobertE Lee" by John Drinkwater. After leaving the academy at the end of 1923 Gielgud played a Christmas season as Charley in "Charley's Aunt" in the West End, and then joined Fagan's repertory company at the Oxford Playhouse.