PETRA JOAN-ATHENE talks about her journey to THE BOY WHO SITS AT THE BACK OF THE CLASS

Interviewer: Pat Hayward 24th February 2026

With The Boy At The Back Of The Class having set out on a National Tour, Overture’s Pat Hayward had the opportunity to talk with Petra Joan-Athene about her journey to the stage and her role in the play which runs at Mayflower Studios in Southampton from 10^th to 14th March ahead of its Easter opening at London’s Southbank Centre.

PH: Hi Petra, could we start by you telling me about The Boy At The Back Of The Class?

P J-A: So, The Boy At The Back Of The Class is a play adaptation from a book written by Onjali Q Ralph and it’s written through the eyes of Alexa, who’s a nine year old girl, who befriends a new pupil in her class, Syrian refugee Ahmet. The story follows him on his journey with Alexa and the other children. Alexa has three best friends and they form a group together called the A-Team. The A-Team befriend Ahmet and he shares the story about his journey and how he was separated from his family on the journey to the UK and is now alone. The team decide that they need to set out to find his family and reunite them here in the UK. Which honestly is a very wild thing to do for 9 year olds, very ambitious. So they form this plan to write to the Queen in the hope that they can meet the Queen and get her help to reunite the family. I won’t go into too much more as I might give you the whole play. I think the play is very much of its time, I feel like the UK is more torn than ever. And it’s it’s really lovely because this play is just such a celebration of acceptance and diversity.

PH: Could you tell me a little bit about the character that you play?

P J-A: I play one of Alexas’s best friends, Josie. She is part of the A-Team which Alexa has formed and with two other boys. And she’s a very sporty, high energy child, which is partly true for when I was a child as well and I kind of relate to, well apart from the sports part. I was very much more into dance and ballet. But, she’s a very hyperactive but also very empathetic child. And like me she’s definitely the comedic relief. Her energy is very funny and crazy and I think the kids are very much drawn to her because of that. So it’s an honour to play her, because I see so much of myself as my energy and my hyperactive inner child comes out when I’m playing her. It’s quite healing actually.

PH: How, how did you get chosen for the part?

PJ-A: I actually auditioned over 2 years ago when the show originally was made. So I auditioned back in 2023. I think it was, which is crazy. It was the year I graduated from drama school, which was very lucky. What I didn’t know, it was going to give me essentially a year of work. I auditioned via self tape initially for a different character. And then I had an in person audition and then another in person audition and an interview. And then I had another self tape and then I was offered the role. And it was quite funny because I honestly, I was just like, Oh my goodness. I had no idea how this was going to go, but later the director told me that after the first audition, we actually knew you were going to be in it. We just didn’t know which part you were going to be, which is why it took so long. It took multiple characters, multiple accents, multiple audition venues and eventually, yes, I I was offered the role and then I went on a six month tour and then a year passed and they offered me the role again. And honestly, the thing that drew me to it this time was the fact that I was going back home to the Mayflower and I get to see my parents and perform in the home turf. I love it.

PH: When you were little, did you show signs of becoming a performer?

PJ-A: Yes, I think it was from day dot. I remember doing baby ballet. I was actually born in the Netherlands. And by the time we moved to the UK, when I was about 5, the first kind of after school club I was enrolled in was a Dance Academy in Winchester. Even though moving to the UK was very scary for me, my thoughts were oh my goodness, am I going to make new friends? Especially when you’re that little, it’s such a critical time, at least that’s what It felt at the time. And so this dance group, post school, was definitely my kind of time. It was very much like my favourite time of the week, going to dance. And from there I enrolled in Winchester’s Theatre Royal drama group as well.

And honestly, I’m just never going to forget that feeling. When I joined that theatre group, I knew this is absolutely where I’m meant to be. I’ve always had so much energy and having a space just completely to be myself and to dive into lots of different characters, it’s essentially playtime, like it still is for me today. I think as an adult doing theatre, it is literally playtime. I guess it’s just like a way for me to express myself. I’ve always been very effervescent, constantly moving. My mum always said I was quite good at science at school but she knew I was always going to end up in theatre. My mum even said that when I was in her tummy I was just constantly doing somersaults and even the doctor was like, wow, I’ve never seen a baby that moves as much. So I guess you could say it was there from pre-birth, which is crazy.

PH: So, you were a member of the Theatre Royal drama and so obviously you went to school in Winchester as well.

P-JA: Yes I did. I went to Saint Peter’s and then King’s School after that. And then I got an offer to study performing arts at Tring Park. So I moved out of Hampshire and I moved away from home when I was 13. It was crazy.

PH: So how, how did your journey progress from from there?

Well, it was quite funny. It was actually my dance teacher in Winchester who gave me the application for Tring when I was 13. I think it started when I was about 10 years old. She would say, you need to audition for the ballet academies. So I did, I auditioned for the Royal Ballet and Tring Park and Tring offered me a place on their classical ballet Academy course and that’s where it started. My mum would drive me all the way to Tring every other Sunday to do ballet for like 4 hours and I just really fell in love with the school. So by the time I was 13, my dance teacher gave me the application form and I filled it in, pretty much all by myself actually, and said to my mum, I’m going to post it. And I got my audition. And then I auditioned as a ballet dancer, but you had to do an extra skill and I did singing and they told me that I should audition for musical theatre. So I thought brilliant, let’s try it. And I got offered a place on the course. And so I moved there when I was 13, which is actually insane. Thinking back, I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since I left home to pursue my dream. I studied at Tring for about 5 years until I was 18 doing musical theatre.

But I knew from about 16 that I wanted to start studying straight acting and find opportunities in film and TV. And I was very lucky. I did all my auditions when I was 17 just before COVID hit. I did all of my rounds for drama school and I got offered a place at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where I studied for three very eventful years. And it was such a big change for me because I was so used to singing and dancing and then going into an acting school it was very different. But I do think it was definitely the most beneficial thing for me and my career because I knew I had all the dancing and singing skills pocketed. And I felt like that Bristol Vic was a place for me to really grow up and embrace myself, to bring my own person into my acting work. Weirdly, it was less about the training for me, it was more about nurturing myself. It was the best platform for me, for the career that I’ve started now. So after the three years I signed with an agent. And from there, I’ve been working in theatre for the past two years.

PH: With The The Boy At The Back Of The Class. you’re coming to the Mayflower Studios. Have you been there before?

PJ-A: Yes, I’m very excited. I actually have. I was there not too long ago because I was a recipient of the Mayflower Higher Education Bursary in my final year of drama school. So for the past two years I’ve been to their young person’s seminar where the representatives from all the drama schools come to speak about their courses. So I’ve been there with Bristol Vic. And I‘ve also done talks about receiving the bursary and how it was helpful for me. And so I actually got to speak on stage in the Mayflower Studio and I’m thinking oh my gosh, it’s going to be great to return as a professional.

PH: What have you got your eyes set on? Where do you want to go next?

PJ-A: You know what, I’m not entirely sure. I think the goal for me, honestly, is to hit the National Theatre and the RSC. I did get really, really close to two jobs, one at the National and one at the RSC. And both of those houses, specifically the RSC in Stratford, to be in a production there has always been a dream. And also at the National, as it’s actually the one place where I feel new writing and writing that’s either slightly controversial or, you know, different to commercial houses get seen. If it gets played at the National it’s like a big motivation for me as I think the National always has something to say. A bit like The Boy At The Back Of The Class, it’s for everyone, it’s for children, it’s political and controversial. I think the National always has something to say and I really want to be a part of that. And then equally again, the RSC, is just my dream.

PH: Petra, thank you very much for your time today. I hope you have a lovely day and I’m looking forward to seeing you back in Mayflower Studios in Southampton in March.