Are you happy? If so, then I’m happy for you, but have you ever asked yourself why you’re happy?

I doubt it’s about money. I’ve met some very rich people, and almost without fail they don’t seem happy. They’re nervous, worried that they might lose what they’ve got, and what they’ve got never seems to be enough.

I’ve met lots of poor people, too. Now, I’ve never met anyone who is happy because they’re poor, but I’ve met plenty who are happy despite their lack of wealth. And do you know what all these happy people have in common? They’re all content with their lot and don’t have huge expectations or aspirations. Could it actually be that simple?

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The play is on at Salisbury Playhouse until October 19 (Image: Alex Tabrizi) We first saw Stones In His Pockets 20 years ago in the West End, and it was one of the best plays we’d ever seen. So, when I went to see this new production (Salisbury Playhouse until 19th October), I had no expectations of anything special; how could it improve on the original?

The play tells the story of the inhabitants of a rural village in Ireland, which is being used as the setting for a Hollywood blockbuster.

Most of the locals sign up as extras, happy to take the €100 per day that’s on offer and enhance their happiness by spending it in the local pub each night: low expectations, simple pleasures, unhappiness avoided.

But for one young lad, Sean, the proximity of these Yanky stars just serves to remind him of his unfulfilled dreams. Increasingly discontent, he falls deeper into the grip of booze and drugs, until...

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"So far, so what?", I hear you say. Well, here’s the twist. All the characters are played by just two actors, who switch persona with little more than a tweak of their costume or a change of accent. It sounds confusing, but you soon find yourself immersed in some of the most fabulous characterisations imaginable. It’s ingenious, poignant, funny and utterly engaging.

I’ll not tell you how it ends. Suffice to say that my lack of expectations meant that I never envisaged this bettering the original, yet with a few imaginative staging tricks and some terrific, high-energy dancing, it did just that.

In short, this brilliant production made me happy. Far be it from me to hex you by raising your expectations, but it might just make you happy, too. Dea-shláinte.