[3] He decided not to complete a degree course at the University of St Andrews, to work in the family timber business and pursue a moderately successful career in motor racing.
[4] In 1988 the company performed Sharpe's first play, The Burgher's Tale, which received an enthusiastic response from critics and the audience alike.
[5] Sharpe's Herald Scotland obituary described the play as follows: "The Burgher's Tale is a biting political and social satire inspired by his study of commedia del arte.
[5] In 1991 the company performed The Archive of Countess D adapted by Sharpe from the short story by Alexis Apukhtine.
[15] In November 1988, he appeared in the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company's adaptation of William Shakespeare's, As you like it, in Edinburgh.
[19][20] In 1990 Sharpe had a small role in the Scottish detective series, Taggart, the first of four episodes he would appear in over ten years.
[21] In 1995 he appeared in Doctor Finlay and the film, The Near Room[21] which was James McAvoy's acting debut aged fifteen.
Sharpe's next role was in The Witch's Daughter and later in 1996 he appeared in Tartan Shorts:The Star, broadcast by BBC Scotland and written by John Milarky.