Musical theatre graduate on resilience after breaking ankle in final year

Amy Hart graduated with a BA (Hons) Musical Theatre Performance but had a huge obstacle to overcome when she broke her ankle during a netball match in October 2024. She had surgery in November but still managed to complete all her third-year modules and performances against the odds.

“It was the day before I was supposed to come back to university after the break,” Amy said. “I emailed my course tutor saying I might not be coming in tomorrow…”

During a netball match, Amy had suffered a serious ankle break which needed surgery, and a metal wire fitted.

“My dissertation had just started – it’s 100% practical – and all the auditions for the shows had started,” she explained. “I was stuck on my sofa. I couldn’t do anything by myself.”

But she was determined to continue her course, and attended lectures by Teams, eventually rejoining the class on crutches in January. Amy made sure she learned all the parts she needed to for her practical examination, and even practiced the dances from her chair.

She managed to take part in the winter showcase in December and said: “I was on crutches and thinking I can’t do this. I was still in a lot of pain and couldn’t believe I was doing a show on crutches.”

By April, Amy was able to move around more freely and secured a part in Amelie for the third-year showcase.

“When we got into rehearsal for that it was really good to be back,” she said.

Most students finished after the final show in July, but Amy had deferred her dance examinations, so still had these to complete.

“When we finished the final show in July, I needed to start practicing the dances,” she said. “I was really surprised at what I could actually do considering I had been sat down watching the dances.”

Amy said she practised every day and managed to perform her final dance exams in July.

“I don’t really know how I managed to carry on,” she said.

She said her tutor Andy Wright had been a real driving force in helping her to complete her degree.

“He reminded me it was only temporary, and he could have said ‘it’s fine, don’t worry, come back when you can’, but he made a real conscious effort to keep me involved,” Amy said.

Amy’s injury is still not fully healed, but she’s determined to continue her studies and sport – and even has plans to rejoin her netball team one day. But for now, she will take a year out to work, with the hopes of starting a master’s degree next year and eventually landing a job on the West End.

She said: “I want to continue doing what I love in any shape or form, if that’s singing at gigs, performing on cruise ships or even on the West End but the most important part is the journey and the determination to get to the destination!”