The Boy at the Back of the Class, Malvern Theatres 19 to 23 March 2024 and UK tour. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: Hannah Phillips.

Photo Credit: Manuel Harlan.

The Boy at the Back of the Class, Malvern Theatres 19 to 23 March 2024 and UK tour.

4✩✩✩✩ Review: Hannah Phillips.

A Children’s Theatre Partnership and Rose Theatre Production

“A beautiful, heartfelt and hopeful production.”

There used to be an empty chair at the back of the class, but now a new boy called Ahmet is sitting in it. He’s nine years old (just like me), but he’s very strange. He never talks and never smiles and doesn’t like sweets – not even lemon sherbets, which are my favourite!

Says 9-year-old Alexa, fiercely played by Sasha Desouza-Willcock, our storyteller and leader of the school kid ensemble as she introduces us to Ahmet, a 9-year-old refugee from Syria. I was sitting next to my 9-year-old twin boys in this play adapted for stage by Nick Ahad, based on the novel by Onjali Q. Raúf. They were sucking their favourite sweets and laughing loudly as they watched the adult actors energetically play child characters and create school chaos in a way that resonated for them.

We are reminded of the individual human story in the atrocities of war and displacement, the children and the trauma behind the headlines. The adults are mostly portrayed as the bullies who pass down anti-immigrant rhetoric to their children. The portrayal of the next generation is hopeful, the young activists are mostly moving from a place of kindness, friendship and love, facilitated by their teacher, Mrs Khan played convincingly by Priya Davdra. In a time when we find ourselves in a global crisis, the play ironically comments, “we have to hope the people in charge know what they are doing”.

There are beautiful visual moments in this heartfelt production, the parachuting of blue sea fabric which actors run and dive under enhanced by impactful lighting (Ryan Day), atmospheric sound design and energetic composition (Giles Thomas). Playful direction by Monique Touko is further enabled by an imaginative and versatile school gym set design by Lily Arnold which transforms into Alexa’s home and Buckingham Palace with ease.

The Boy at the Back of the Class, Ahmet, is played both beautifully and silently in the first act by Farshid Rokey. We feel his pain with every facial expression made and in the second act, when he finds his voice, he reminds us to listen.

I held my boys’ hands tighter as I wiped away my tears and we listened.

Cast

Farshid Rokey - Ahmet

Sasha Desouza- Willock – Alexa

Gordon Millar – Tom / Frank

Petra Joan-Athene – Josie / Journalist

Priya Davdra – Mum / Mrs Khan

Joe McNamara – Bredan / Mr. Brown / Mr. Marbles / Queen’s Guard One

Abdul-Malik Janneh – Michael / Stan the Taxi Man

Zoe Zak – Clarissa / Mrs. Grimsby / Mr. Irons / Mrs. Marbles / Queen’s Guard Two

Megan Grech – Mrs Saunders / Swing

Ryan Rajan Mal – Off Stage Swing

Adam Seridji – Mr Hart / Sewing

Dame Vanessa Redgrave – Voice of Queen Elizabeth II

Creatives

Based on the novel by Onjali Q. Raúf

Adapted by Nick Ahad

Directed by Monique Touko

Set and Costume Design by Lily Arnold

Lighting Design by Ryan Day

Composer and Sound Design by Giles Thomas

Movement Direction by Klo Dean

Fight Direction by Maisie Carter

Voice and Dialect Coach, Salvatore Source

Associate Director, Amy Crighton

Casting Director, Sophie Parrott CDG