‘Stones in his Pockets’ a synopsis

The story centres on Charlie Conlon and Jake Quinn, who, like much of the town, are employed as extras for the filming.

Much of the comedy of the play is derived from the efforts of the production crew to create the proper “Irish feel”, a romanticised notion that often conflicts with the reality of daily life, and that it calls upon the cast of two to perform all 15 characters (men and women), often switching gender and voice with swift dexterity and the absolute bare minimum of costume changes - a hat here, a jacket there.

The key point in the play is when a local teenager commits suicide, by drowning himself with stones in his pockets, after he is humiliated by one of the film stars.

The play, often described as one of Ireland’s best known, had a long run at the West End and in Broadway and starred Ballycastle actor Conleth Hill