TheatreTheatre
Venue
The Rose Theatre, Kingston
Date
Sat 21 Feb 2026
Time
5:30 pm
Subtitles
Captioned by Stagetext
The Boy at the Back of the Class image
Synopsis:

"There used to be an empty chair at the back of the class, but now a new boy called Ahmet is sitting in it."

 
 

A Rose Theatre and Children’s Theatre Partnership production
Based on the novel by Onjali Q. Raúf
Adapted by Nick Ahad
Directed by Monique Touko
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.
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.