at the young age of 14, kean was hired to act as main characters for 20 nights in the york theatre, acting as hamlet, hastings and cato. while he was at richardson's theatre, a travelling theatre company, the news of his talents reached george iii, who ordered him to be at windsor castle. kean later joined saunders's circus, where while performaning as a horse rider, he fell and broke both legs. the accident left swelling on his foot throughout his life.