Jessica Calonius plays Miriam in Brief Encounter, one of the short plays in Happy Hour – four short comedies. Miriam is a celebrity author, but Jessica's own feelings about fame are a bit different:

"In my free time I like to feel inconspicuous. Yet Helsinki is SO small that anyone and everyone becomes famous with time. At least in your own neighbourhood. Once on the local train, a total stranger informed me I look exactly like my brother.

Miriam is renowned for her pop-psych literary works, and on the train journey in Brief Encounter she's accosted by an avid admirer. The consequences? Come see!!

By luck and coincidence I became a performer in my fifties - a drama teacher saw the performer on the stage frightened me. I did three years of drama studies at Snellman Korkeakoulu and three years of poetry performance studies with maestro Martti Mäkelä. I've mainly done half-hour poetry solos, but have also acted in numerous Finnish and English plays and sung in various musical ensembles. Participating in the Finn-Brit Players' Poetry & Jazz show is my long-time favourite, and last October was great doing Orange Alert!"

Photo: Anni Taponen