Two men, more than a dozen characters, and 90 minutes in the Irish countryside: those are the vital statistics for “Stones in His Pocket,” the 1996 tragicomedy by Irish playwright Marie Jones now playing at McCarter’s Berlind Theater through February 11.
The action takes place in rural County Kerry, Ireland, where a Hollywood crew takes over a small town and casts many residents as extras in its film. Comedy — and tragedy — ensue when the Americans rush to finish the film based on their romanticized notions of Irish life, without regard for the reality of life in the small town they have taken over.
For McCarter’s production the acting duties fall to Irish actors Garrett Lombard and Aaron Monaghan, both of whom trained at the Samuel Beckett Centre at Trinity College Dublin and have appeared on stages across Ireland. Those duties include playing the main characters — Charlie Conlon, who is trying to draw attention to a script he has written, and Jake Quinn, recently returned from the U.S. and enamored of the film’s female star — as well as the supporting characters, both male and female. Lindsay Posner directs.
McCarter’s production is taking place in conjunction with a public art project called Cows in Our Town. Twenty area artists were invited to decorate cows, which have been placed in various locations around Princeton. Community members are encouraged to search for the cows and post photos of them on Instagram with the hashtag #cowsinourtown for a chance to win free tickets to “Stones in His Pockets.”
Stones in His Pockets, McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, Princeton. Through Sunday, February 11. $25 to $89. www.mccarter.org or 609-258-2787.
