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Here is a partly political broadcast - Elect to buy tickets to one of our satirical shows...

Posted: 13 years ago

Over the next few weeks, General Election stunts will be prevalent - David Cameron will be presenting Blue Peter (forming a government with sticky-back plastic), Gordon Brown will be a guest on 'Come Dine With Me' (serving up excuses) and Nick Clegg will appear on Crimewatch (as a photofit until someone actually recognizes who he is). Nick Griffin is releasing an album of delta-blues and hip-hop classics ('Down With Tha BNP') and the Green Party will be sponsoring the next series of 'Top Gear - Live From The North Pole'. They're all at it.

If, however, you want a more realistic take on politics you have two choices. Either catch a lunar-shuttle to Neptune (there's one every hour from Ebbsfleet), or go and watch one of the excellent political-plays doing the rounds at the moment:

Vote For Me - You Idiots!

Vote For Me - You Idiots! does sound like a very satirical poke in the belly and it's playing at the Hen and Chickens Theatre, Islington. Written by Spitting Image and Rory Bremner collaborator Nelson David, it tells the tale of one Dave Basildon, a man representing the None Of The Above party who has spent his financial bail-out offered by Barack Obama. £7.50 for tickets sounds like a bargain to me. Runs from 15th - 23rd April.

Stiffed!

Chiswick's Tabard Theatre is urging us to get 'Stiffed!', a political satire loosely based on the writer's experiences within Westminster. An aspiring journalist sets out to uncover wrongdoings and misgivings between two political figures, one a double-barrelled Tory, the other a Labour activist with a husband who prefers toy trains to toying with politics and expenses. Tickets cost £12. Runs from 14th April - 9th May.

Enron

If you want a hard-hitting play about financial scandal then you have to consider seeing the Lucy Prebble-written 'Enron'. Energy and auditing certainly didn't mix during the 2007 bankruptcy of the company at the heart of the biggest shareholder loss ($1 billion). The complexities of the case inspired Prebble to simplify it and create an engaging play that fuses dialogue, music, dance and video. Tickets are around £40, although some balcony seats are available for later May performances at £20.50. Runs until 26th June.

Counted [play]

Counted is an aptly-themed play-cum-documentary appearing at the County Hall, London (£18 upwards - 15th April to 22nd May) during the Spring and asks the question 'why aren't we voting?' at a time when we should be. 'Use your democracy or lose it' seems to be the message here.

Women, Power and Politics: Then

While the Tricycle Theatre in London features a series of plays under the banner 'Women, Power And Politics' during June. Split over the 'Then' and 'Now' eras, there will be various short features and political comment regarding women's contribution to politics.

Check our full list of related performances and remember - use your vote wisely!

Paul Pledger