Reviewed by Louise Watts
Being an actor of any description on stage requires talent, but what about a show that only has a cast of two but with multiple characters?
This evening, myself and a friend visited the Theatre Royal in Brighton for the opening night of Stones in His Pockets by Marie Jones.
Stones In His Pockets is a two man comedy show telling the story of many characters. Set in the Irish countryside it tells the story of the locals who have managed to get extras roles in a Hollywood blockbuster being filmed in their town. The two main characters Jake and Charlie, played by Owen Sharpe and Kevin Trainor respectively, are both extras. Jake is a local boy who has recently returned home following a trip to New York and Charlie is a young lad running away from his failing video business.
The two actors also play a number of other roles including Sean, Hollywood actress Ms Giovanni and the film director among others. The way Owen and Kevin manage to flit between their various characters is very clever and seamless demonstrating how talented they both are. How on earth they remember that many lines along with the relevant voice / accent is quite remarkable.
When the show first started, I have to admit I wondered what on earth was going on. It was quite slow to get going and very difficult to follow the changing characters. As the show continued, I began to realise how it worked and managed to keep up (most of the time) with which character was being played!
©NOBBY CLARK
The set was simple and subtly adjusted to fit various situations. The scenery was lovely and could very well be imagined as the Irish countryside. Costumes were minimal but appropriate.
The story had the usual elements, the successful character, the unsuccessful character and a love interest. Other than that, if I am honest the story was lacking something. There were some funny moments but not enough to get me laughing. I think this is the kind of show you either “love” or “hate”, I am sorry to say it was not my thing at all. That does not however take away from the fact that the two actors were incredibly good and extremely impressive.
Stones in His Pockets has a running time of a little over two hours including an interval which if I am honest was long enough for me. The level of concentration required to keep up with the changing characters was tiring. Without 100% focus, I would have completely lost the story.
The Theatre Royal in Brighton is a beautiful building and always has a lovely atmosphere. Drinks are a bit pricey but it is a city centre theatre so that is not surprising. It is easily accessible by public transport and there is parking a couple of minutes’ walk away where you can get an evening rate for parking. Staff are always beautifully presented and polite and courteous, helping wherever they can.
Rating: 3/5
Tickets cost from £13 (plus £3.65 transaction fee).
Stones In His Pockets is at the Theatre Royal in Brighton from 29 July to3 August 2019, for more information or to book tickets visit www.atgtickets.com/brighton or call the box office on 0844 871 7650.
Theatre Royal, New Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1SD | 0844 871 7650
