Catherine Bennett resumes the weekly look at the performing arts world, with the sad end of Jerusalem, the luck of a cabbie, and French revolt. Do you hear the people sing?
Adam Alcock reviews Nigel Kennedy playing Vivaldi's Four Seasons and his own Four Elements at York Opera House.
Catherine Bennett highlights the trends in the performing arts world today.
Jonathan Cridford reviews 'Ghosts', one of the Freshers' plays for this year.
The picturesque landscape of Ireland has long been the backdrop of Hollywood movies. Films such as The Quiet Man or Ryan’s Daughter have all used Irish natives as extras, often demanding them to distort and exaggerate their own characters. It is this idea which becomes the focus of Marie Jones' Olivier Award-winning comedy, Stones in his Pockets.
The play is situated in the rural town of County Kerry that has been invaded by a Hollywood film crew for the filming of 'The Quiet Valley’. The plot concerns Charlie Conlon and Jake Quinn, who, like most of the town, are employed as extras for the shoot. Charlie (David Caves) and Jake (Jack Reynolds) are two feckless, downtrodden individuals whose dreams for the future have all failed. Filming presents them with the exciting prospect of being paid £40 a day, getting three free meals and being close to the Hollywood icon Caroline Giovanni. However, when local lad Sean Harkin drowns himself, Charlie and Jake reevaluate the shallow, superficial nature of Hollywood.
The two actors had the incredible task of playing 15 different characters between them. This was no mean feat, which, I think, was flawlessly achieved by Caves and Reynolds.
Jones has tapped into a simple, but highly effective dramatic device that gives Stones in his Pockets warmth, without detracting from its political edge. The two actors had the incredible task of playing 15 different characters between them. This was no mean feat, which, I think, was flawlessly achieved by Caves and Reynolds. There was some confusion at the beginning of the play and at times the rapidity of the transition from one character to another resembled a dizzying portrayal of an identity crisis. Apart from that, the switch between the different roles was effortless. Other productions may have used a more elaborate set or more dramatic lighting to facilitate the swap from one character to another. However, such devices would have been superfluous in this production; the acting skill of Caves and Reynolds was exceptional enough to stand on its own. They embodied the physicality of the roles, pouting, staggering and sashaying their way through the different characters. The hilarious jig scene is a particular example. With merely a flick of the hand or a different facial expression, Caves and Reynolds made it clear who they were depicting and when.
Stones in his Pockets was generously peppered with great moments of comedy. Notable examples were Caroline Giovanni’s attempts to seduce Jake Quinn in order to improve her Irish accent, Reynolds’ portrayal of the ditzy assistant Ashling, or the brilliant moment of irony when Charlie mimics the director of the film, (a character which Caves portrays as well), to Jake's response that ‘you sound nothing like him’.
Where the play fell down, however, was in its handling of the more sensitive issue of Sean Harkin’s suicide. Sean’s character hardly features in the play, so that the terrible tragedy of his death seemed contrived. The scene in which Jake goes to talk to Sean’s former schoolmaster seemed forced, as if it was trying to compensate for the paucity of depictions of Sean in the play thus far.
Nevertheless, Stones in his Pockets is still an overtly funny, poignant and well-acted play, which made for a thoroughly enjoyable evening. It’s just a shame it isn’t showing in York for longer.
Stones in his Pockets was at the Grand Opera House on Weds 4 March.
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