WHEN the little old lady struggled with her baggage as she made her way up the steps of Hillhead Underground, Pauline Knowles approached and said in her Irish accent:

'Can I help you?'

Now all that's fine, and highlights the fact there are still caring people in today's society.

But here's the thing: Pauline isn't Irish. The actress lives in Glasgow and was born in Edinburgh.

"It is a bit worrying that I spoke to the lady with the bags in an Irish accent," she says, grinning.

"But I guess that comes with the job."

It is indeed a testimony to Pauline's commitment and focus on the present role.

This week, she's at Oran Mor starring in Miss Shamrock's World of Glamorous Flight.

Martin Travers' story tells of Swish air hostess and whirlwind Miss Shamrock, who is reminiscing and preparing to fly to Boston.

But little does she know this will be her last ever glamorous flight.

Now, the world of the flight attendants (air hostesses but without the grooming and deportment) has been explored in comedy stage shows such as as the outrageous drunken, drug- taking, sex-craving creature that is Pam Ann.

But Miss Shamrock is an old school hostess. Pre-trolley dolly, a flying actress almost, she's a woman to whom impeccable image is all important.

"She's Irish, from a little village near Dublin, but she has a sort of BBC Irish accent," says Pauline.

"But because of her career she's spent ironing out her 'tick' Irish accent and giving something of a performance, which the job requires.

"Her training course involved grooming and deportment, and developing an unflappable polish."

Pauline adds; "She's always been long-haul, First Class, she loves her job.

"She comes from a wee village and the job allowed her the chance to see the world.

"Back in the Eighties was her heyday, and she spends a lot of time looking back to this golden era."

Her world alters significantly when a single moment occurs, which, to reveal would spoil the play.

"That's why she's reflecting," says Pauline. "Suddenly, her world - or in fact everybody's world - is never quite the same again."

Pauline has invented the accent. "I did a lot of listening to Fiona Shaw," she says of the Irish actress who starred in the Harry Potter movies.

"And while it's hard work to play a single character on stage, she's a hostess, so there's lots of hostessing going on, it's great.

"There's a huge enjoyment to be had when you do a monologue.

"Theatre is storytelling, and when you're standing there telling the audience a story it doesn't get any simpler than that.

"It's almost like radio in that the speaker can create any world she likes. In that way, a monologue can achieve more than two people up there on stage talking to each other."

The actress is perfectly placed to carry off the demands of monologue, to capture and hold the attention of an audience, having achieved critical acclaim over the years for performances in the likes of Macbeth, David Harrower's Knives In Hens and more recently the same playwright's A Slow Air.

She also scooped the Best Performer prize at the Adelaide Festival in Australia for her role in drama Fleeto And Wee Andy.

"I love theatre," she says, with huge enthusiasm in her voice. "The live experience is incredible.

"When I watch plays I don't always come out thinking 'I've had a great night,' but I rarely come out thinking 'What a waste of time.'

"And Oran Mor is like the Fringe in that you get great value."

Pauline always wanted to act and studied at Glasgow's RSAMD.

"I was a bit like Miss Shamrock in that I didn't want to declare my dreams, but I had a fabulous drama teacher at school who encouraged me, a Miss Jean Brodie character.

"I went off to university to study English and Psychology however and had a ball.

"But I joined the drama society where I appeared in John Byrne's Cuttin' A Rug and thought 'Why am I messing about. Go act.' And I did."