Stones in His Pockets will bring out all the emotions, it's superb

Stones in his Pockets is currently playing at Salisbury Playhouse, and it's a rollercoaster of a show that carries you along at a breathless pace.

The stage is set with equipment boxes, boots and shoes, fake grass, a few sheets of canvas, and one large screen. Add some lights and two actors, and you have Stones in His Pockets. 

It sounds simple, and in many ways, it is—but it's also complex, clever, and very funny. 

Set in rural County Kerry, Ireland, Stones in His Pockets is carried by its two actors, Shaun Blaney and Gerard McCabe. They play all 15 characters in this tragi-comedy, and their transitions between characters are impressive in many ways. 

The two actors slide between their main roles as Charlie Conlon (McCabe) and Jake Quin (Blaney) and fulfil every other character in the story—male and female, young and old, Irish, American, and English. They change voices and accents, subtle changes to their clothing, stance, and mannerisms, small enough to be fast but enough to allow you to know which character is currently at the fore. At times, there are four or five characters at play at one time, and the movement of props and their position on the stage happens at a lightning pace. The choreography of it all is in itself a joy to watch. 

The speed of the play is also impressive. There is a huge amount of content crammed into a two-and-a-half-hour show (including interval). There is love, loss, desire, rejection, and the heavy subject of mental health and suicide, too. 

At times, it's dark - but it's a rollercoaster; one minute, you are deep in thought about suicide, and the next minute, you are clapping along to an Irish dance. 

McCabe and Blaney are the stars of the show, and there is nowhere to hide in this stripped-back production. They both bring great humour and timing to their roles and deliver in the darker moments, too. They make us care about their characters, but it's their dexterity in changing roles that is the most impressive aspect. 

The audience rewarded the performance at the end with a standing ovation, and there was much chatter as the audience made their way from their seats about the parts they each found most entertaining.

Stones in His Pockets is on at Salisbury Playhouse until Saturday, 19th October. Tickets can be bought here - https://www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk/events/stones-in-his-pockets

Set in rural Ireland, a small village is turned upside down when a Hollywood studio arrives to film the latest historical blockbuster – but Tinseltown’s romanticised dream of Ireland is far from reality in this fresh take on the witty, award-winning comedy.

With just two actors playing 15 characters, Stones in His Pockets takes you on a whirlwind ride, blending humor, heartbreak, and biting social commentary. Through these shapeshifting performances, the play explores themes of identity, myth, and the chasm between reality and fantasy, all while poking fun at Hollywood’s romanticized vision of rural Ireland.

Directed by Matthew McElhinney, son of writer Marie Jones, this fresh production brings new life to a timeless classic that has captivated audiences across the globe. A tour de force of storytelling, the play transforms the stage into an entire world, making us laugh, reflect, and revel in the magic of live theatre.