Comedy meets drama as Playmakers Repertory Company of Chapel Hill stages Stones in His Pockets, Marie Jones' award-winning two-man show can be seen through Feb. 11.
The play recounts the story of a provincial Irish community invaded by a Hollywood film crew. The townspeople eagerly accept roles as extras in the film, with hopes of claiming a piece of the American dream as their own.
The film allows these simple, rural people to experience their fifteen minutes of fame, yet in doing so, it unleashes deeper yearnings for the commercial glamour of the movies and popular culture.
Director John Feltch cited his recent experience acting in I am my Own Wife, a complex one-man production, as very helpful in the staging of yet another show in which actors play multiple parts.
"I've been able to help [the two leads] make these kinds of difficult transitions as sharply and seamlessly as possible," Feltch said. "It takes a lot of practice and rehearsal, obviously."
The charismatic pair, played by David Brian Alley and David Friedlander, creates an honest and engaging environment. Their characters play off one another in a manner that enhances the comedy of the show.
"They worked beautifully together, they just have the perfect symbiosis," Feltch said. "That's what's most important."
Yet underneath the comedy lie much darker themes. Stones in His Pockets reveals the painful dissolution of childhood idealism and ambition in the face of life's stark realities. The presence of the production team evokes feelings of inadequacy, dispensability and insignificance among the extras. They are treated indifferently, if not with disdain.
Through the play, Jones raises the question of whether life imitates art, or art imitates life. In the play, the answer seems heartbreakingly clear. Life and art are, for the majority of us, irreconcilably separate.
"These two guys are really struggling and they represent so much of what I think of as the second and third world of people who want in on the American dream and don't know how to get that," Feltch said. "There's real substance and real drama that the comedy comes out of in this play."
Yet Playwright Marie Jones creates an artful balance between the lighthearted comedy and heavier themes. Despite tragic events and poignant dialog, the audience is continually uplifted by her humor.
"It's a real ride, this play" Feltch said. "I hope the audience finds it as exhilarating as I do."
Playmakers presents Stones in His Pockets at the Paul Green Theatre in Chapel Hill through Feb.11. See www.playmakersrep.org for showtimes and ticket information.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.