From left: Kura Forrester will return to screens as Lily on Double Parked which stars Antonia Prebble, Madeleine Sami and Dominic Ona-Ariki. Chris Parker - creator of the series - is pictured in the foreground. Photo / Zara Staples
Comedians Chris Parker and Kura Forrester are doubling up on stage and screen; they tell Spy why their dynamic duo works.
Two of the country’s funniest people Kura Forrester and Chris Parker, will fill up the ASB Waterfront Theatre later this month, a day after their work hits screens on the second series of Three’s Double Parked.
Parker’s live show Give Me One Good Reason Why I Shouldn’t Throw My Phone Off This Bridge and Forrester’s Here If You Need, will play on August 23 and 24 during the Winter Comedy Festival Special, a trifecta of shows which start August 22 with the Tom Sainsbury hosted Best Comedy Show on Earth.
Parker is filming his show, which he has performed all around Australia and New Zealand, for a comedy special and insists people who have already seen it should come and see it again and see how he handles the pressure of the cameras.
Forrester is chuffed to also have her show filmed and is excited to perform it for a large audience.
Forrester has just returned from London, working with some awesome people on a short film project, she says.
“My amazing best friend and director, Jess Joy Wood and I have reworked the script of Here If You Need, and have updated parts of the show, so it’s snappy and fresh,” Forrester tells Spy.
“It’s a very personal show, inspired by my close friendships, what they mean to me and how they help guide my life.”
The duo will hit the stage together this November and reunite with Sainsbury and Brynley Stent to remount their 2016 hit show, Camping.
“It’s a dream come true to remount Camping! The show remains one of my all-time favourite shows to perform and with three of my favourite people in the world,” says Forrester.
Before then, later this month, Forrester will return to screens as Lily on hit comedy Double Parked starring Antonia Prebble and Madeleine Sami, with their babies taking centre stage this season.
Parker, who created Double Parked, has written most of the scripts, was the showrunner and directed the new series along with Sami.
“The show acts as a way for me to indirectly and very vicariously live out the idea of what life could somewhat look like for me if I had kids,” says Parker.
“The inspiration for all the episodes is really born out of me wondering how I would cope in the situation.”
Forrester says the second series is heartfelt, real and hilarious and she can’t wait for people to see it.
“There is so much to love in this new season as the characters all explore the new dynamic of having babies in the house,” says Forrester.
This season, Forrester says Lily is learning how to be a girlfriend and a flatmate to babies and has to set some tough boundaries while facing some friendship challenges.
“But she is still silly and fun and the life of the party.”
Parker says Forrester’s performances this season have given him goosebumps on the many times he’s watched them.
“I think Kura Forrester is the funniest person in New Zealand. There I said it!”
Double Parked will premiere on August 22 on Three and Three Now.
Ricardo Simich is the Herald’s Spy Editor. Based in Auckland he covers all roads that lead to popular culture.