Stones in His Pockets
Revealing a microcosm of humanity at the heart of this funny and frequently very moving play, director David Bownes foregrounds the inventive skills of his two actors in Marie Jones’ warm-hearted Irish tale.
Tightly played and generally maintaining good pace, as aspiring film stars Charlie and Jake, Martin Jenkins and Christopher Patrick Nolan each employ finely honed technique that, coupled with intelligent observation and precision timing, brings a host of off-beat characters vividly to life.
Opening moments that catapult audiences into the world of cinema, advertisement voiceovers get the audience laughing early. Designer Jack Kirwan sets a serried and symbolic line of boots and shoes against a film strip skyscape of rural County Kerry, a single prop box serving as table, chair or coffin.
As extras clamour to be in a Hollywood movie filming on location in rural Ireland the additional characters - old local Mickey, drug addict Sean, security heavy Jock, simpering production assistant Aisling and Caroline, the film’s glamorous and ruthless star - may only be delineated by a move or gesture but each is nonetheless well-rounded and clearly realised.
Among many glorious moments, Jake’s seduction by the languorous Caroline to enhance her dialect skills, a film ‘take’ that relies on split-second timing for a horse-riding sequence and a lively dance where idiosyncratic characters appear to fill the stage, stand out. As the play winds to a finale, anger and disillusionment set in but when their humour returns, it is not only Charlie and Jake who are left in a mood of up-beat optimism.
Production information
- By:
- Marie Jones
- Management:
- Mark Goucher in association with Paul Elliott, Adam Kenwright and Pat Moylan
- Cast:
- Simon Delaney and Hugh Lee
- Director:
- David Bownes
- Design:
- Jack Kirwan
- Lighting:
- Graham McLusky
- Run time:
- 2hr 10mins
Production information can change over the run of the show.
Run sheet
- Artsdepot London
- January 13-15 2005
- HMT at Hilton Aberdeen
- January 18-22 2005
- Northcott Exeter
- January 28-29 2005
- Derngate, Royal & Derngate Northampton
- January 31 2005
- Norden Farm Maidenhead
- February 1 2005
- Capitol Horsham
- February 2- 3 2005
- Marina Lowestoft
- February 4 2005
- Broadway Barking
- February 5 2005
- Corn Exchange Newbury
- February 8- 9 2005
- Lowry Salford
- February 10-12 2005
- Gordon Craig Stevenage
- February 14 2005
- Auditorium Grimsby
- February 15 2005
- Opera House Buxton
- February 16 2005
- Pyramid and Parr Hall Warrington
- February 17 2005
- Gatehouse Stafford
- February 18 2005
- Regal Centre Worksop
- February 19 2005
- Arts Centre Stamford
- February 21 2005
- Fairfield Concert Hall Croydon
- February 22 2005
- Elgiva Chesham
- February 23 2005
- Point Eastleigh
- February 24-25 2005
- Pavilion Bournemouth
- February 26 2005
- Harlequin Redhill
- March 1 2005
- Wyvern Swindon
- March 2 2005
- Pavilion Worthing
- March 3 2005
- Queen's Barnstaple
- March 4- 5 2005
- Everyman Cheltenham
- March 7- 9 2005
- Bedford School Bedford
- March 10 2005
- Blackfriars Arts Centre Boston
- March 11-12 2005
- Corn Exchange King's Lynn
- March 14 2005
- Mill Arts Centre Banbury
- March 15-16 2005
- Alban Arena St Albans
- March 17-18 2005
- Guildhall Arts Centre Grantham
- March 19 2005
- Yvonne Arnaud Guildford
- March 21-26 2005
- City Varieties Leeds
- April 6 2005
- New Cambridge Theatre and Arts Centre Southport
- April 7- 9 2005
- Arts Complex Solihull
- April 12 2005
- Beck Hayes
- April 13 2005
- Music Hall Shrewsbury
- April 14 2005
- Princes Hall Aldershot
- April 15 2005
- Charter Preston
- April 16 2005
- Customs House South Shields
- April 18 2005
- Grand Swansea
- April 20 2005
- Quay Arts Newport Harbour, Isle of Wight
- April 21 2005
- Uppingham Theatre Oakham
- April 22-23 2005
- Theatre Royal Wakefield
- April 25-27 2005
- Middlesbrough Theatre Middlesbrough
- April 28 2005
- Grand Opera House York
- April 29 2005
- Town Hall Loughborough
- April 30 2005
- Gala Durham
- May 3- 7 2005
- Churchill Bromley
- May 9-11 2005
- Swan High Wycombe
- May 12-13 2005
- White Rock Hastings
- May 14 2005
- Regent Stoke-On-Trent
- May 16-18 2005
- Coliseum Aberdare
- May 19 2005
- Radlett Centre Radlett
- May 20 2005
- Subscription Rooms Stroud
- May 21 2005
- Swan Worcester
- May 26 2005
- Mac Birmingham
- May 27 2005
- Torch Milford Haven
- May 28 2005
- Theatre Royal Brighton
- May 30-June 1 2005
- New Oxford
- June 2 2005
- Riverfront Newport
- June 3 2005
- Playhouse Epsom
- June 4 2005
- Everyman Liverpool
- June 6-11 2005
- Harrogate Theatre Harrogate
- June 21-25 2005
- King's Edinburgh
- September 30-October 8 2005
- Gaiety Ayr
- October 11-15 2005
- Concert Hall Motherwell
- October 19-20 2005
- King's Glasgow
- October 31-November 5 2005
- Repertory Dundee
- November 9-12 2005
- Millennium Forum Derry
- October 16-21 2006
- Grand Opera House Belfast
- October 23-28 2006
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