MARTIN Jenkins first performed in Stones In His Pockets in September 2001, and those stones continue to pile up.

"It's almost four years now and I've really enjoyed it. I started at the Duke of York's and New Ambassadors, and this is my third national tour... so I know my lines now!" says the Belfast actor, who is appearing as Charlie Conlon in Marie Jones's Irish comedy at the Grand Opera House, York, this evening.

He and Christopher Patrick Nolan will be sharing 15 roles between them in Jones's story of a major Hollywood studio descending on a County Kerry village.

"Christopher is my third partner in the show, we've been doing it since the beginning of 2004, and each pairing brings its own chemistry to the play," Martin says. "If one of us is off, we use a reserve cast because we wouldn't just split the partnership; it would be like putting Oliver Hardy with Bobby Ball.

"I really work well with Christopher, and we just spark off each other; you don't want to get bogged down in who has to stand where. It's a very difficult show to do, exhausting, so you want to have fun doing it. You don't want people to see you struggling!"

Playing multiple roles ranging from a Catholic priest to fictional Hollywood diva Caroline Giovanni is a joy for Martin.

"I've always enjoyed character acting," he says. "On TV you tend to be cast for your own age and look, but I look back to someone like Alec Guinness, performing with his funny hats and moustaches, when the fun of acting seemed to be playing someone you weren't."

Stones In His Pocket, Grand Opera House, York, tonight, 7.30pm; Harrogate Theatre, June 21 to 25, 7.30pm, Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. York box office: 0870 606 3590; Harrogate, 01423 502116.

Updated: 16:11 Thursday, April 28, 2005