| Calgary native Derek Flores doesn’t mind sharing a comedy stage at this year’s FunnyFest. That’s because he shares it with his longtime collaborator and best friend Eric Amber.
"Eric and I met at Loose Moose (Calgary’s improv theatre) when we were both 16," recalls Flores.
That was 15 years ago. Today, Amber lives in Montreal and Flores in Toronto. Both are pursuing their own entertainment careers. Amber is involved in the construction of a venue that will be home to some Anglo comedy and theatre. Flores performs with the acclaimed Second City National Touring Company.
But whenever they can, the two pals perform together because, as Flores explains, "We can still surprise each other. That’s what we try to do. We go out and try to make each other laugh and crack up onstage." And, he says, "If it’s fun for us, we know it will be fun for the audience."
Performing under the name Hot Nuts and Popcorn, the finely synchronized duo was a hit with Calgary audiences several years ago with a live talk-show parody at Loose Moose. Now they’re back and bringing something different to this year’s FunnyFest in the form of a cabaret-style comedy act reminiscent of Abbott and Costello. "Fast-paced free-form comedy" is the way Flores describes it.
The audience ultimately determines the kind of show they do. "You have to judge it by what goes on in the first 10 minutes," explains Flores. "Some audiences are content to just watch, so you stick mostly to the set material. But some audiences are going to be chatty and want to participate, so then you go and skew it that way."
Continually adapting their performance set allows Flores and Amber to remain energized and enthused about what they are doing onstage. For Hot Nuts and Popcorn spectators it means: Hang on – who knows where this ride is going to take you.
Hot Nuts and Popcorn are performing nightly at 8 p.m. through Saturday, May 15 at Barclay’s Wet Lounge in the Sheraton Eau Claire. |
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