The 25th anniversary production of hit comedy Stones In His Pockets at Bolton Octagon (October 22-November 2), will be directed by Matthew McElhinney – son of the comedy's creator, Marie Jones, and its original director, Ian McElhinney.
The original play was a worldwide phenomenon, which won awards including both the Olivier and Evening Standard awards for best new comedy, as well as three Tony nominations on Broadway.
Marie Jones said, “I never thought the original magic could be recreated but what's truly remarkable about this 25th anniversary production is that it captures all the original charm while feeling as if I wrote the play just yesterday. I’m thrilled to see it return to the stage and am eager to follow its renewed journey."
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...
Northern Irish actors Shaun Blaney and Gerard McCabe star as Charlie Conlon and Jake Quinn, two townsfolk drafted in as as extras for the filming.
Blaney is best-known for the critically-acclaimed one-man show In The Name of The Son, which toured to the Edinburgh Fringe and the Auckland theatre festival in New Zealand. He was nominated for best actor at the Irish Theatre Awards for his portrayal of Gerry Conlon, one of the so-called Guildford Four. McCabe’s extensive stage credits across Ireland include: The Threepenny Opera, What The Reindeer Saw, Smiley, Pride and Prejudice and The Jungle Book (Lyric Theatre, Belfast).
The show is a co-production with The Barn Theatre in Cirencester and Wiltshire Creative. Iwan Lewis, artistic director of The Barn said, "Our production is truly a gift that keeps on giving; I'm thrilled to bring back this extraordinary piece. It has already had a rich history including runs on the West End and Broadway, but something tells me that this is just the beginning for this exceptional production.”
More info and tickets here