For the first time in its history, the Finn-Brit Players will produce a play in association with an American drama group, the Passport Theatre Company of Massachusetts, U.S.A. Tickets are now available for the Helsinki première of Melancholy Play, opening on Wednesday, September 21 at Tunturikadun vierailunäyttämö (Tunturikatu 16, 00100 Helsinki).

Tilly, the central character in the play, is portrayed by Stephanie Carlson, a professional actress and member of Equity U.S. She has extensive experience in New York, Boston and her current home in central Massachusetts. Her last visit to our shores was as a singer on cruise ships! Stephanie’s fellow performers are Demian Stimson as Lorenzo, Mikael Kivimäki as Frank, Hosanna Megumi as Frances, Jess Hollmeier as Joan and John Millar as Julian, all of whom are members of the Finn-Brit Players.

A former director of Melancholy Play described it as “a hilarious and heart-felt comedy about our longing for love and our love of longing. Tilly's quiet sense of joyful introspection is so magical that Frank, Joan, Frances, and Lorenzo fall immediately, and hopelessly, in love with her. But while love triangles are hard enough, love pentagons can get really weird. Melancholy Play is a sexy and mysterious romantic fantasy which follows these lovers on a hysterical journey.”

Join us at Tunturikadun vierailunäyttämö in September for superb drama accompanied by fine music composed specifically for this performance by Matthew Wooller and performed by John Millar on his clarinet.

Tickets 10–15€ are available here.

Puppets

Saturdays 5 & 12 March 2016 at 7 pm

FINNBRIT, Fredrikinkatu 20 A 9, Helsinki (2nd floor)

Join us for a stage reading of Puppets by Vello Ruus.

Puppets is a fast-paced comedy in the farce style, set in a large room of the affluent O'Leery home. Centre stage is a coffin, which holds the body of the deceased Mrs O'Leery. The family of Bob, John and Andy O'Leery, as well as Bob's finacée Tracy, gather for the funeral and the reading of the will by the family lawyer, George Davidson. Added to this mix are the unexpected arrival of the mysterious Mary and the prying Father Connelly. Each is confident of a large inheritance, but as the play develops peronal intrigues are played out and fortunes change as to who is to inherit what and who is in league with whom for control of the family fortune.

Directed by Vello Ruus. Featuring Nicolas Herbatschek, Tiina Isoviita, Mikael Kivimäki, Maria Kuuskoski, Graham Lees, John Leo, Ulf Persson, Sofia Pohls, Saku Ruus and Jukka Tykkyläinen.

 Tickets: 6€ (FBP members 4€).

MEMBERS: Please have your membership number to hand when ordering – contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you need a reminder.

Click on the below link to buy tickets.

Privacy is a play written by Meritta Koivisto in 2002. It was performed for the first time as a stage reading on 7 March 2015 in front of an enthusiastic audience at the FINNBRIT premises on Fredrikinkatu in Helsinki. Some audience members commented after the performance that the Finn-Brit Players should consider performing the play as a full production.

The March 7 performance was truly an artistic success and all available seats were sold. Congratulations to the playwright and director, Meritta Koivisto, who was the guiding light behind the production and inspired the actors to reach new heights. Special thanks also go to Timo Karppinen who recorded the entire production on video, Tiina Isoviita who spent several late-night hours designing the programme, Vello Ruus for his invaluable advice and support on production issues, Kikka Myllys and Jessica Calonius who served as front-of-house hosts, Graham Lees who was responsible for lighting and sound operation, Eila Leonoff for her work on set design and props, and Pirjo Jyrälä who was responsible for sound effects and audio sequencing. All of us are grateful to the audience members who were so appreciative of our efforts.

Privacy by Meritta Koivisto

A famous author’s extreme protection of his private life turns against him in a horrifying way. When a hometown acquaintance from youth, Lorraine Gray, unexpectedly visits Paul J. Bauer and his wife Maude in their Hollywood Hills mansion, the consequences are unpredictable yet inevitable. Lorraine’s portrait shows the fragility of morality, the destruction caused by a manipulating mind, and the depth of darkness it can reach.

MERITTA KOIVISTO is an internationally award-winning writer and director. Her film Wrestling With A Bee won the Main Prize at the International Short Film Festival Winterthur in Switzerland, and her American play Privacy has been recognized at the New Century Writers Awards in the US. Koivisto has also lectured on creative writing at Columbia University in New York. Currently, she is writing her third novel and a collection of short stories. 

Some photos from the March 7 performance – click on the thumbnails for the full images and captions.