UNTIL JUNE 12, BATH: Multi award-winning comedy and West End smash hit Stones In His Pockets brings a taste of Tinseltown with a distinctly Irish flavour to Bath next week.

Written by Marie Jones and directed by David Bownes, the play stars Martin Jenkins and Christopher Patrick Nolan. Magical and often hysterically funny, Marie Jones' award-winning play has received standing ovations all over the world.

The real life of a small Irish community collides with the wonderland of Tinseltown when a major Hollywood film studio descends on a village in rural Ireland to make a slushy romantic picture called The Quiet Valley. The demand for extras from the local community is huge and the absurdities involved in making a movie are observed from the view of Charlie and Jake, two of the many locally-hired extras earning £40 a day to look downtrodden and oppressed on demand.

Through the flick of a wrist, a simple and a change of expression Martin and Christopher bring no less than 15 different, extraordinary characters to life, including two aspiring movie extras, the directors and their assistants, the beautiful diva Caroline Giovanni, the crew and various locals, with hilarious results.

Martin plays no less than seven different characters, which he is comfortable with now as he has been in the production for two-and-a-half years.

"It's great fun to work on but at the same time it is pretty exhausting as you have to concentrate as well as having fun," he said.

"It is great to play so many different types of character as normally you are just cast according to your age and experience. In this I get to play old people, young people and males and females all in one play."

The acting has to be really precise as Martin and Christopher don't even change costumes, everything is down to the expressions and voices. Martin even gets to play Caroline Giovanni, the glamorous Hollywood actress.

"It is a very raw style of performance and very physical," said Martin.

"My favourite character is Charlie who plays the part of one of the extras in the film. The play follows the characters hopes and dreams as he leaves his video shop in Bally Castle and travels south in search of something better."

Martin, who is originally from Belfast is looking forward to performing in Bath as he has never visited the city before and his father will be coming over to see the show and visit the city.

Martin studied English at Queens University in Belfast before going on to RADA.

"I was thinking of going into teaching or becoming a lawyer but then I realised that it would be nice to do something I really enjoyed, even if it is a precarious profession," Martin added..

Martin has appeared in numerous theatre production and on TV in the series Murder In Mind.

Much more than just a tour-de-force for two wonderful actors, the play also explores the arrogance and self-delusion of Hollywood, pre-occupied with its own fake view of another country whilst indifferent to the reality it actually finds there.

Written by Marie Jones, Stones In His Pockets has won a clutch of awards including The Laurence Olivier Award. The production received a Drama Desk Special Award and a Special Achievement Award from the Outer Critics' Circle in New York.

Stones In His Pockets has recently celebrated its fourth year in London's West End and completed a world tour.

Stones In His Pockets

Theatre Royal Bath

Monday until June 12