Stones in His Pockets by Marie Jones (2009)

Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, VA  2009

Kelsey Landes and Brent Anders as Jake and Charlie

In Marie Jones’ Stones in His Pockets, Charlie and Jake are a pair of Irish lads, down on their luck, but convinced that working as extras is just the first step on their road to stardom. Charlie has a screenplay he wants to sell and Jake is soon approached by the beautiful American star of the film, who has a reputation for “going native” on her location shoots. But when filming is threatened by the intrusion of reality, the tension between the demands of Hollywood illusion and day-to-day life in a small, Irish village generates some surprising complications.  In a highly theatrical way, this play about the way Hollywood creates Ireland becomes a play in which Ireland returns the favor – and reclaims some of its messy, un-cinematic authenticity in the process. 

Kelsey Landes and Brent Anders