Stones In His Pockets
Jeffrey Davies speaks to Kevin Trainor and Owen Sharpe about their many roles in Stones In His Pockets, and whether they ever lose track of who they’re meant to be playing
THE theatrical phenomenon Stones In His Pockets has made a welcome return to Bath this week, its first visit to the Georgian city in ten years. Marie Jones’ ingenious comedy has won numerous awards, including two Olivier Awards, an Evening Standard Theatre Award and a New York Critics Circle Award.
Nominated for three Tony Awards, the “very Irish, very funny” drama played to packed houses in the West End for four -years and ran triumphantlyy on Broad way, as well as delighting audiences around the world on tour.
The thought-provoking and often hysterically funny drama is about the making of a historical blockbuster by a major Hollywood studio in a small vil lage in rural Ireland, and is seen through t-he eyes of local film extras Charlie Con lon and Jake Quinn. A multitude of extraordinary characters come to life, ranging from the American starlet to the English director and the village oldtimer.
Playwright Marie Jones was inspired to write Stones In His Pockets after her own experiences of working as a film extra in the Emerald Isle.
S-et in County Kerry, where many Hol l-ywood movies have been shot – includ ing, most famously, The Quiet Man starring John Wayne and Maureen O’hara – Stones In His Pockets poignantly explores the aspirations of these young men, along with the inevitable clash of cultures between the local population and the incoming actors and crew. As village life is turned upside down, it b-ecomes clear that Tinseltown’s roman ticised dream of Ireland is a long, long way from reality.
Irish actors Owen Sharpe and Kevin Trainor play 15 different roles in the play, effortlessly slipping from one character to another: the extras, the spoilt star who is struggling with her Irish accent, the f-ilm crew, as well as various other col ourful individuals like “Old Mickey”, who is locally famous for being the only surviving extra from The Quiet Man.
“This amazing play won the Olivier Award for best comedy 20 years ago and I’m not surprised that it did,” said Kevin Trainor, who plays Charlie Conlon.
“It is, in the main, a comedy. But it is not just a comedy, because it has the very serious story about exploitation of a community in County Kerry when a Hol lywood film crew turns up to do a farand-away movie there. This sudden i-nvasion brings about all sorts of prob lems. For instance, not everyone who wants to be an extra in the film gets to be one and things like that. But I don’t want to give the story away here, even though I know that’s what you want to know. Y-ou’ll have to wait and see what hap pens like everyone else!” Kevin added with a smile.
“I play Charlie. He had a video shop on the north coast of Antrim at one time b-ut it closed down because of the com petition. Then he was beside himself with glee when he ends up in the film that’s being made in County Kerry.
“He was very optimistic about it all and thinks that he’s going to hit the big time, which makes him great fun to play.
“I also play a Hollywood starlet who is very serious about her craft, but she can’t do accents. She has cloth ears. Accents, shall we say, are not her forte!”
A,s well as Stones In His Pockets Kevin has performed in An Octoroon at the National Theatre, Playboy of the Western World at London’s Old Vic, St Joandaotcbelfast’s Lyric Theatre and - tor Faustus- for West Yorkshire Play house.
The play is a treat for Bath audiences, I suggested to Owen Sharpe.
“Oh, it is. One minute you are laughing a-nd the next minute you’re crying. Cry ing from laughter – but also crying from tragedy. This play’s very clever that way,” said Owen, who plays Jake Quinn.
Owen’s many theatre credits include Piaf in the West End, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Jubilee, Shadows, Purgatory abnadrtholomew Fair at the RSC. He last appeared at the Theatre Royal Bath in Oinli2v0er04t.wist
Both Owen and Kevin declined to explain the pertinence of the play’s title other than to say that all will be revealed “on the night”.
“Basically, without giving away the complete plot, the title is in reference to something that is found in somebody’s trousers. But I really can’t say any more than that because it might spoil it. And that wouldn’t be good, would it?” Owen reasoned.
“We’re playing 15 different characters between us in this one. The whole film crew and actors, as well as the locals. I personally play everyone from an eightyear-old to a 90-year-old grandad, as well as a drug addict and various other parts,” he continued enthusiastically.
Did the duo ever get mixed up playing so many parts in one show, I wondered?
“-Yes,” both replied immediately, fol lowed by a wonderfully self-deprecating laugh.
“-You know, one of the biggest chal lenges for us is that there are so many characters to play,” Kevin replied.
“But that’s fine, we can do it. And, of course, it’s very rewarding when you get it right.”
A great “double act” – both in real life and on stage – Kevin and Owen had me in stitches throughout our interview with their easy charm and comedic sense of fun.
Written in 1996 and first performed in Belfast, Stones In His Pockets has enjoyed three previous visits to Bath, appearing at the Theatre Royal in 2002 as part of its first ever UK tour, then again in 2004 and 2009.