The Umbilical Brothers (Shane and David Umbilical) are two multi-award-winning Australian actor-comics who have created a genuinely fresh and modern style of comedy show, combining their writing and performance talents with modern technology that presents limitless potential for creative design. They exploit every possible angle from the concept and push their ideas to the max, and it makes for an unmissable and unforgettable comedy experience.
I've seen 37 shows in three days and when people ask for a recommendation - this is it
The stage is set with intriguing green screens and cameras, with a large screen displaying videos and livestreams at the back. You’ll want to get there nice and early, because as the audience arrives, the screen is displaying some truly hysterical one liners and sound bites to welcome you in. For minutes, this was consistently roll-on-floor-funny and, if eligible, deserves to sweep all ten places for Funniest Joke on the Fringe. What a way to start a show!
The unique (probably - this is the Fringe, after all) premise involves the two stars performing a range of highly creative scenes, transporting themselves onto the streets of Edinburgh, outer space, and everywhere in between. Not only do the Umblilicals invent novel settings, but the mind-blowing special effects in the videos are – quite literally – to die for; expect to see explosions, phenomenal use of props, epic inclusions of audience members in the videos – it's truly a roller-coaster of inventiveness and everything (minus a couple of well-covered techinical hiccups which can be forgiven at the start of the festival) is seemless and played for maximum effect.
While the screen is your main focus, you'll want to keep the stage in your peripherals to truly marvel at how the cinematic results are manifested from seemingly mundane activities a few feet below. Like many shows on the Fringe, Shane and David have come up with a great idea. What sets them apart from the compeition is the depths to which they have pillaged it, sparing no expense, nor a creative thought, to truly push the boundaries of what their idea can create. You won't find anything like this on the Fringe, and the high expectations created from the outset never dip for a moment. I've seen 37 shows in three days and when people ask for a recommendation - this is it.
