Last night Neva and I went along to the opening night of The Boy at The Back of The Class which is taking place until 27th April at Norwich Theatre
What Is The Boy At The Back Of the Class About?
Told from a child’s perspective, balancing heart and humour, The Boy at the Back of the Class highlights the power of friendship and kindness in a world that doesn’t always make sense and reminds us that everyone needs a place to call home.
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!
After learning that he has fled his own war-torn country, Ahmet’s classmates have ‘The Greatest Idea in the World’ – a magnificent plan to reunite Ahmet with his family. An unexpected and often hilarious adventure follows, all topped off with a terrific twist.
Based on the award winning book by Onjali Q. Raúf, this Children’s Theatre Partnership and Rose Theatre co-production has been adapted for the stage by Nick Ahad and is directed by Monique Touko.
What Did We Think Of The Boy At The Back of The Class
Based on the award winning children’s book by Onjali Rauf, this is a story of a refugee boy from Syria, told through both his eyes, and the eyes of the new friends he makes.
The show is primarily aimed at children and it gave them a good insight into the life of a child who had faced many obstacles in his short life so far.
Ahmet is the new boy in school, seated at the back of the class. He speaks no English and is quiet and withdrawn, and sometimes angry, he is someone the class are unsure of, and quickly becomes a target for the class bully Brendan.
His classmate Alexa, who recently lost her father, overhears two parents talking about Ahmet, calling him a filthy refugee (unsurprisingly one of the parents belonged to Brendan ), she goes home and asks her mother to explain what they meant.
She decides to befriend Ahmet and enlists the help of her three friends Tom, Michael and Josie.
As the story unfolds and the class find out about what Ahmet had already been through in his 9 years, and that his parents have not yet been able to get to safety in the UK, they put in place a plan to reunite the family.
The entire cast played their roles to perfection, with nearly all of them taking on more than one role, Joe McNamara is suitably horrid as Brendan The Bully, and plays the part so well, you find yourself wanting to give him a detention yourself! . Rokey gave an excellent performance as Ahmet, you could feel the frustration building inside him that he was not easily understood and his relationship with his friends grows along with the story, Sasha Desouza Willock gives an amazing performance as Alexa, she is kind, caring and understanding and tries to include Ahmet in her friendship circle, going out of her way to track down a pomegranate for him! The way she interacts with Tom (Gordon Millar), Michael (Abdul-Malik Janneh) and Josie (Petra Joan Athene) and gets them onboard with befriending Ahmet and welcoming into their gang is beautiful.
Boy At The Back of The Class is showing at 10am and 2pm on Wednesday 24th April, 10.30am and 2pm on Thursday 25th April, 6pm on 26th April and 2pm and 6pm on Saturday 27th April.
If you are not local to Norwich Theatre, there are lots more theatres you can see if at, check out The Boy At The Back Of the Class Tour Dates