11:51am Friday 12th March 2010
By Chris Wickham
The two main candidates competing to be Richmond’s MP are to go head-to-head on the stage – and may have to deal with questions from Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and other leading political figures.
But the country’s most powerful men won’t actually be at Richmond Theatre in person – it will be impressionist and comedian Rory Bremner doing all the talking.
And incumbent Liberal Democrat MP Susan Kramer and Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith will be hoping it will be all right on the night, as the hustings take place just 11 days before the general election is expected.
The first half of the show will feature a stand-up routine from the satirist.
He will then be joined on stage by John Bird and John Fortune – to make up the trio from the Channel 4 show Bremner, Bird and Fortune – along with Ms Kramer and Mr Goldsmith.
Both Ms Kramer and Mr Goldsmith said they were looking forward to the event, which could see them questioned by Mr Bremner in the style of the current prime minister, his Labour predecessor or even ex-Conservative Party leader Michael Howard, all of whom have been sent up by the funnyman.
Ms Kramer said the event at the 1,000-seater theatre sprung from a conversation she had with Mr Bremner at a House of Lords event.
She said: “I am very much looking forward to it, it sounds like lots of fun.
“Whenever there are hustings you expect a grilling, it wouldn’t be the Richmond and Kingston I know and love if there wasn’t, but there will also be humour added.”
Mr Goldsmith said: “I am a big fan of Rory Bremner, I like his political inferences and I think he is a real gem.
“I have no idea what to expect but I agreed to do whatever it is and would love to do it.
“It will be interesting to be part of it.”
The event, one of only two on Mr Bremner’s tour featuring his co-stars, will take place on April 25, and starts at 7.30pm.
For tickets call 0844 871 7651 or visit ambassadortickets.com/richmond.
A hustings with Ms Kramer and Mr Goldsmith will take place at Duke Street Baptist Church, near Richmond Green, on April 21.
The event, organised by Richmond Environmental Information Centre, will also feature Twickenham Tory candidate Deborah Thomas and Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors Serge Lourie and Nick True.
The event begins at 7pm and will be chaired by Bamber Gascoigne.
Anyone attending can send questions for consideration to honor.bailey@gmail.com. Organisers are particularly looking for questions on an environmental theme.
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