“Smart, caustic and astute” – this is how the press characterizes the play “The Boy in the Last Row” (2006) by world renown author Juan Mayorga. It earned him Max, the stage arts award in Spain and gained widespread popularity due to French director François Ozon’s film “In the House” [Dans la maison], which is based upon it.

17-year-old Claudio sneaks into his classmate’s family’s house and life under the pretence that he helps him with his school work. But Claudio’s hidden aim is to observe him and write about him in his work for literature classes. However, the newly-discovered writer’s voyeurism soon gets out of control. In the writings of his unusual student Herman, the literature teacher, begins to see a talent that reminds him of his abandoned writing ambitions. Despite the concerns of his young wife he encourages Claudio’s artistic pursuits. The boy encroaches more and more upon the lives of the two families, which leads to some unforeseeable and insurmountable consequences…

“The Boy in the Last Row” is the most recent, stylish and convincing performance of director Kris Sharkov based on a contemporary play. He gets under the skin of the author and together with him explores the voyeurish nature of every creative work and the power play in human relationships. Thanks to his role as Claudio Dimitar Nikolov ranks among the most promising young actors on Bulgaria’s contemporary stage.