Our Stones - Finding Out More About The Play Itself

I have been following the progress of the Griffin Players Stones In His Pockets team for a few weeks now, heard how they are feeling about the play, seen the characters start to come to life, met their VIP guests and started to fall in love with the play.  So this week I thought I would find out a little more about Marie Jones’ play.

The play shares with us what happens when a Hollywood film crew comes to a small sleepy village in County Kerry in Ireland.  Local man Jake and Charlie from Ballycastle in N Ireland are extras on the film and they recreate the filming and the town.  The actors (in this case Alex C Brewer and John O’Leary) become a wide range of characters, there are a wide range of locals, old and young all of whom seem to be related somehow.  Then there are the film cast and crew, male, female, Irish, Scottish, English and American.  That is quite a challenge for the actors I am sure you will agree.

Marie Jones paints a sharply satirical portrait of filmmaking, the customs and egocentricities of artists in action set in a vivid and well detailed Irish landscape.  Her commentary then cleverly shows us the impact of the invasion, the shrewdness and the nativity of the locals, the exploiters and the exploited.

Underlying the clever comedy (verbal, situational and physical) is the poignant story of Sean Harkin – a dreamy local lad who let down by the rural economy turns to drugs and following a public incident with the film’s leading lady drowns himself.  He is found with the stones in his pockets that are the play’s title.

Marie Jones with her husband Ian McElhinney and son Matthew
Photo Courtesy of the Belfast Telegraph

In it’s earliest form the play was presented by the Dubbleljoint Theatre Company for the West Belfast Festival in 1996.  It then moved to the Lyric Theatre in Belfast where Marie Jones’ husband Ian McElhinney directed the piece, the script being modified heavily during rehearsals.  In 1999 the play moved to the Edinburgh Fringe and then, the play now fully developed moved to the Tricycle Theatre in London in August 1999.  It moved to the West End (New Ambassadors) in May 2000 and was so successful that the run was extended and moved to the Duke of York’s Theatre where it stayed for 3 years.  The show also played on Broadway from 2001 with the original cast of Conleth Hill and Sean Campion.

Stones In His Pockets has been a phenomenal success, winning the Irish Times Award for Best Production in 1999 and then both the Olivier  and Evening Standard Awards for Best New Conedy when the play moved to London. The play has also been produced all over the world and remains both funny, relevant and fresh each time it is produced.  The unique blend each set of actors and directors bring ensure it stays this way and I for one can’t wait to see what this team create.  From the passion and energy I have seen in rehearsals I know for one thing for sure it is going to be a lot of fun.

Griffin Players Present Stones In His Pockets by Marie Jones from 6-8 October 2016 at TADS Theatre in Toddington.  

Tickets are available at www.griffinplayers.co.uk and you are advised to purchase them as soon as possible

Our Stones is an on line mini series by RTE Arts Correspondent Kevin Doherty.  As part of his exploration of Dramatic Arts in Rural Ireland he is following the cast and crew of an upcoming play – Stones In His Pockets.  The play, a comic tragedy by Marie Jones, is set in a small town in County Kerry.