Discovery
Aged fourteen, he obtained an engagement to play leading characters for twenty nights in York Theatre, appearing as Hamlet, Hastings and Cato.
Shortly afterwards, while he was in Richardson's Theatre, a travelling theatre company, the rumour of his abilities reached George III, who commanded him to appear at Windsor Castle. He subsequently joined Saunders’s circus, where in the performance of an equestrian feat he fell and broke both legs—the accident leaving traces of swelling in his insteps throughout his life.
About this time he picked up music from Charles Incledon, dancing from D’Egville, and fencing from Angelo. In 1807 he played leading parts in the Belfast theatre with Sarah Siddons, who began by calling him "a horrid little man" and on further experience of his ability said that he "played very, very well", but that "there was too little of him to make a great actor". In 1808 he joined Samuel Butler’s provincial troupe and went on to marry Mary Chambers of Waterford, the leading actress on 17 July. His wife bore him 2 sons.
Read more about this topic: Edmund Kean
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