“At first I did adore a twinkling star, but now I worship a celestial sun!”

The passageways of the Fremlin Walk Shopping Centre in Maidstone were a somewhat surprising setting to hear the immortal words of the Bard, but there is something of a carnival atmosphere in the County Town today.

The cast from Changeling Theatre’s production of Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona are in the shopping mall currently giving a taste of their summer touring show.

The actors - Ben Wiggins and Sam Haywood play the two gentlemen Proteus and Valentine - are also entertaining shoppers with some of the musical numbers from their production, which gets its first outing at Boughton Monchelsea Place on Friday, July 3.

Elsewhere, in Jubilee Square, the town is buzzing with jazz music, part of a day-long festival organised by the Maidstone Town Team, which this afternoon will include “yarn bombing” - covering things in knitting.

Come and see the fun.