28 November 2012

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MUSICAL duo Marks and Kennard returned to Chequer Mead last night (Tuesday 28 November) with a brilliant evening of fast-paced comedy.

Julian Marks is the endearingly owlish straight-man on the keyboard, while tenor Mike Kennard delivers hilariously risqué songs which often teeter perilously on the brink of social disaster but never quite fall into the pit of impropriety, except perhaps in the minds of the audience – for which of course this irresistible pair cannot be held responsible.

The Flanders and Swann de nos jours, these masters of the double entendre have borrowed from all the comic greats including Fascinating Aida, Richard Digance and Tom Lehrer whose Vatican Rag remains as funny as it was 40 years ago.

And I am ashamed to admit that in his reprise of Kenneth Williams’ famous pastiche on a French love song Kennard’s fine voice rendered the romantic trials of Crepes Suzette almost touching.

Marks and Kennard also performed some brief snatches of their own work including a well-observed Chicago-style tribute to East Grinstead, East Grinstead, a train-spotter’s town…which suggests they might introduce more original songs to their set.

And you have to admire any duo who can get their largely middle-aged, middle-class audience cheerfully singing along to a farewell chorus of “b——s”.

Marvellous, life-enhancing fun – and if you missed it, you missed a real treat.

Geraldine Durrant