The Umbilical Brothers
Opera House
Sydney, Australia
February 18, 2022
The entity known as The Umbilical Brothers have become an internationally acclaimed tour de force, having performed in close to fifty countries with their idiosyncratic brand of humours that is based in equal parts on physical feats, clever use of props, technology, lightning and silliness.
Having honed their craft since they started channelling their alchemy in 1988, The Umbilical Brothers’ delivery is meticulously timed and the chemistry between the pair is flawless, allowing for their seemingly effortless show to be enhanced and accentuated via the use of green screen backdrops and cameras. The fact that not a single aspect of their performance feels contrived or gimmicky speaks volumes about their abilities in a genre that largely dabbles in territory wedged between reliance on facial expressions, special effects, childish curiosity, improvised parts, puppetry and audience interaction.
With their current show they accomplish what seems like an oxymoron, i.e. the feat to entertain both on screen and stage independently yet simultaneously.
In essence, experiencing The Umbilical Brothers’ cleverly executed comedy show in the third dimension means entering a theatrical microcosm, which is a light-hearted, fun experience that has its focus firmly set on evoking carefree laughter with their sketches, digital ventriloquism and physical humour.
---
image courtesy of Sydney Opera House
