for several years, kean's career had little chances to grow. but in 1814, the committee of drury lane theatre, which was about to go bankrupt, decided to give kean a chance among the "experiments" they were making to gain more popularity. when the hope of his first appearance in london got higher, he was so nervous that he exclaimed, "if i succeed i shall go mad." as he was unable to pay for his elder son's medical treatment for some time, his son died the day after kean signed the three-year drury lane contract.