The Marlowe Studio
Sunday 11 December

This time last year mezzo-soprano Jane Webster was marooned in the snow and ice with Tommy Steele in Dublin, appearing in Scrooge the Musical and was unable to travel to Canterbury for our Christmas concert. This year, thankfully, she had no such problem, having a week off from the national tour of Annie, and together with pianist Nicholas Bosworth gave us an enjoyable and unusual concert in The Marlowe Studio.

They told the story of the celebration of Christmas, its origins, history and traditions, illustrated by a variety of Christmas music. Jane is an opera singer with a wide range of vocal styles. The lively Masters In This Hall and Here We Come a-Wassailing, followed by softly sung carols In The Bleak Midwinter and Silent Night set the scene for stories of St Nicholas, Santa Claus and even the banning of Christmas for twelve years by Oliver Cromwell.

We heard Victorian parlour songs, laughed at When I Took My Harp To a Party, reminisced over White Christmas and joined in with Jingle Bells. Piano solos from Nicholas continued the Christmas theme with the lively Troika and a beautiful selection from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker ballet music.

A surprise item by Chairman of The Marlowe Friends, June Brewer, was greeted with much applause and laughter as she related a monologue telling the story of a Yorkshire farmer’s reaction on first hearing a performance of the Messiah.

Finally we sang The Twelve Days of Christmas, thanked Jane and Nicholas for fitting us into their busy schedules, and left the theatre feeling what can only be described as ‘a warm glow.

ANN POWELL