The Umbilical Brothers are one of Australia’s most legendary comedic duos, and no one quite does comedy like they do.

Combining sharp material, high-energy physical comedy, vocal sound effects, mime, music and seemingly every theatrical trick imaginable, David Collins and Shane Dundas have been entertaining audiences across Australia and the world for close to 40 years.

Having seen a previous tour of Speedmouse in Kalgoorlie in the early 2000s, I was more than willing to make the 1,200 km round trip for the chance to see it resurrected as part of the 2026 Perth Comedy Festival. Was it worth it?

Absolutely. One hundred per cent. Without a doubt.

The show centres on a missing magical TV remote that can control the performers and stage effects, with its features spontaneously enacted throughout the high-octane performance. We’re treated to chaotic scenes in slow motion, sudden channel changes, and a super-alien dinosaur channel complete with lighting effects and contortionist-level manoeuvres—to name just a few—all executed with precision and flawless commitment.

^{The Umbilical Brothers (Shane and David) and the excessively creepy mute Roadie. Image supplied.}

Early in the show, persistent microphone hijinks from David had the audience in stitches, while Shane—in character—remained frozen in place. We watched, enthralled, as David attempted to swap out multiple malfunctioning mic packs with mounting frustration: swearing, joke-telling, and repeatedly calling on Roadie to bring out his glasses to read the fine-print instructions—something all too relatable to this audience member. I was both wincing with empathy and laughing. It wasn’t until Shane quipped, “What do you think of this whole new scene we’ve written just for the show?” that it became clear the technical difficulties were, in fact, very real.

It’s a testament to the performers’ skill and experience that they so seamlessly incorporated the problems into the entertainment, with the audience chiming in with both helpful and unhelpful advice. Shane’s clear enjoyment of his decision not to break character (or his frozen position) left the onus on David to fill time and find a solution, which only added to the humour. It also left me wondering how much of this improvised troubleshooting will make it into future shows.

Throughout the performance, we’re continually drawn into their imaginary worlds with little more than voice, gesture and movement—suspending disbelief that a four-year-old child really does occupy that empty space and, later, that the same child is suspended in mid-air.

Vocally generated soundscapes take the audience on a continuously funny and innovative journey that’s easy to follow, despite being built on little more than carefully curated imagination.

This was a masterclass from multi-talented comedic geniuses still at the top of their game—tech problems proving, rather than disproving, this.

Reality and imagination blur so convincingly that, even before the performance, I was second-guessing whether I’d caught a glimpse of Shane—hat pulled low—running past the queuing crowd. Perhaps it was a last-minute dash for mic-pack batteries…

Brilliant show. Brilliant performance. I hope we have many more opportunities to see The Umbilical Brothers live in the near future.

See future touring dates via the Umbilical Brothers website.