CLASSICAL CONCERT

Mark Underwood and pianist Carol Anne Wells take the stage to perform a selection of “audience friendly” classical favourites.

This will include Rimsky-Korsakov’s frantic Flight of the Bumblebee (famously turned into a humorous song by veteran music hall star Arthur Askey), Greensleeves, a medley from My Fair Lady, Irish dances and topical songs such as Those Lazy, Hazy Crazy Days of Summer, Never on a Sunday, I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside and What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor?

Australian-born Mark, who now lives in Gravesend, said: “We thought it would be nice to perform some seaside songs while on the Island.” He will also be performing his own jazzy variation on the Oz classic Waltzing Matilda.

Carol Anne, who comes from Bexleyheath, is no stranger to the Criterion, having accompanied many variety acts on the theatre’s rare 1870 Bechstein grand piano over the years.

Warming up the audience for the pair will be the Preston Ensemble. The five-piece group of London-trained musicians, now all based in Kent, will perform Schubert’s String Quintet in C major Op 163. They comprise Antony Dennant and Jo Saul on violins, Sara Thorpe on viola and Rachel Waltham and Sophie Shackleton on cellos. Leader Antony, who lives in Sheerness, said: “Beyond our work in London, we are known locally for our regular recitals in Faversham’s Assembly Rooms and, more broadly, around the rest of Kent.”