Sheffield Footloose actress Mary back on roller skates aged 70

Roller skating is one of those skills that you never forget…or at least that’s what Mary Newey thought when she got back on wheels after six decades!
Mary Newey of Gleadless as a youngsterMary Newey of Gleadless as a youngster
Mary Newey of Gleadless as a youngster

Mary is playing burger bar owner Betty Blast in Woodseats Musical Theatre Company’s forthcoming production of hit musical Footloose.

In her big scene she has to make an entrance on roller skates and assumed that memories of childhood fun would be enough to get her on stage.

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“I was a wiz on skates when I was 10 years old at school,” says 70-year-old Mary, who lives in Gleadless.

Mary Newey, back on roller skates at 60 years for her role in musical FootlooseMary Newey, back on roller skates at 60 years for her role in musical Footloose
Mary Newey, back on roller skates at 60 years for her role in musical Footloose

“The skates I wore then were the old-fashioned metal ones you put on over your shoes and altered the size by undoing a nut on the skates – nothing at all like today’s boots.

“I decided I needed to re-learn how to skate and so a crowd from the company took ourselves off to Skate Central in Sheffield for a practice run where I put the skates on and promptly fell on my bum!

“Friends helped me to the rink and I tentatively started to skate and after an hour or so I was managing to get around without holding on but still being very careful.”

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Now Mary is hoping she will be back to the levels of skating excellence that she displayed as a 10-year-old in time for the show’s opening night.

Kick off your Sunday shoes as Woodseats Musical Theatre Company present classic 1980s favourite Footloose: The Musical at the Montgomery Theatre in Sheffield from July 10 to 13.

The show is based on the popular 1984 movie musical that stars Kevin Bacon as Ren, a teenager who moves from the big city of Chicago to a small town.

He learns that the town has banned rock music and dancing under the influence of a strict preacher.

Ren works to overturn the ban so that his school can have a senior prom.

Tickets are available on 0114 2644803 or 078554 23670.