The Umbilical Brothers

In German language.

Slow motion, rewind, frame-by-frame forward: What takes just a few clicks in the editing room, these two accomplish with their bodies, voices, and a single microphone. The Umbilical Brothers—Dave and Shane—have created their own genre out of sound and movement, one in which the effects come not from a computer but from their muscles. Six shows in over 40 countries, an Emmy, several BAFTAs, the Critics’ Choice Award in Edinburgh, and the Helpmann Award for Best Comedy Performers speak for themselves.

Now the duo’s biggest hit is returning to the stage. “Speedmouse” is turning 25 and heading out on an anniversary tour: a fast-paced mix of live action, rewinds, slow motion, and frame-by-frame moments that critics awarded five stars and which has won multiple awards. The show later became its own TV series, “The Upside Down Show”; the DVD went platinum multiple times and still enjoys cult status worldwide today. In Australia, “Speedmouse” is part of the essential background of growing up for an entire generation of comedians and fans.

Yet on stage, there are still just two men and a microphone. Everything else happens in the moment: the pace, the tone, the absurd loss of control, the interplay of time and movement—which becomes funny precisely because it’s so perfectly executed. What looks like a trick on screen happens in the theater in real time, without cuts and without a safety net. A repertoire of movement with few parallels, and a sense of timing that can’t be practiced—it can only be honed over a quarter-century of performing.

So be there when Dave, Shane, and their mysterious roadie invite you to laugh, marvel, and ponder the question that inevitably arises while watching: How exactly do they make a living doing this?

“Marcel Marceau on very good drugs” (Sydney Morning Herald)

“You’re left only to shake your head and marvel” (New York Times)