Next Saturday (October 22), Winchelsea will welcome back its favourite chanteuse, Flossie Malavialle. A sensational voice, gutsy guitar style and franglais patter made Flossie an instant favourite when she first appeared a few years ago in a concert featuring the songs of Jacques Brel and Edith Piaf, "'Du Port d'Amsterdam . . . Au Ciel de Paris". And despite being tipped off about Winchelsea's famous Frenchman's Head, Flossie has returned regularly to the town ever since, offering an eclectic but always exciting repertoire.
For good reason, she backs leading bands like Show of Hands and Fairport Convention. And the virtuosity of Flossie is augmented by the sheer excellence of her accompanists, Paul Donnelly on classical guitar and Chris Parkinson on piano accordion. But while Flossie's clear and powerful voice always wows the audience, her concerts have a warmth engendered by a commentary between songs delivered in an inimitable Franco-Geordie accent, reflecting her adopted home in the North East, where she arrived almost 15 years ago as an exchange teacher.
The concert will take place in St Thomas's Church in Winchelsea, starting at 7:30pm (doors open at 7pm). Tickets are available in advance from Grammar School Records in Rye and online at . They will also be available on the door at £15.
The proceeds of the concert will go to the Winchelsea Bonfire Boyes, who will also be hosting a concert in the Church by Gigspanner on the evening of Friday, December 2. And on Thursday, December 29, there will be matinee performance in the Church by the Rain Or Shine Theatre Company of 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'.
Photo: Jonathan Bradley
