The Umbilical Brothers

The Umbilical Brothers

Dundas (left) and Collins (right) with a fan, 2014
Medium Television, stand-up
Nationality Australian
Years active 1988–present
Notable works and roles Maisy
SpeedMouse
The Upside Down Show
Don't Explain
Thwak
Heaven By Storm
The Rehearsal
Members Shane Dundas
David Collins

Shane Dundas and David Collins known as The Umbilical Brothers are an Australian comic duo.

History

Dundas and Collins met in 1988 at the University of Western Sydney[1] in a salsa club on a hot summer's western Sydney evening, where Collins swung around and broke Dundas' nose. Although their instructors tried to keep them apart after the incident, they got together on their own, made amends and began writing routines.

Their performances combine mime with ordinary dialogue and vocal sound effects. They use puppetry, slapstick, mimicry and audience participation, and make scant use of props and lighting. After having performed for seven years, their routines are highly scripted.

They have performed on the Late Show with David Letterman,[2] The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Broadway, Rove, Sarvo, Good News Week (expressly for the 'So You Think You Can Mime' segment) and The Sideshow. They have also performed at the Cat Laughs, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Just for Laughs, Sydney Opera House, Adelaide Fringe Festival, Tampere Theatre Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and also at Woodstock 1999. They are also credited with the vocalizations on the animated children's show Maisy (with the exception of the show's narrator). Shane has also appeared on Double the Fist in the episode "Ultimate Weapon", playing a pair of mystical guards to the TimeSaw, one who lies and one who tells the truth. Both characters explode when The Womp tricks them (accidentally) into doing the opposite of their role (how many fingers am I holding up?)

In August 2006, the Brothers (as Shane and David) began appearing as the main characters, on a Logie Award winning children's television program called The Upside Down Show, that airs in the United States on Nick Jr., and in Australia on Nick Jr and the ABC. The show, developed by Sesame Workshop, makes extensive use of their particular style of mime and humour. In December 2006, in a New York Post interview, Shane Dundas expressed doubts about the return of the show for a second season.[3] In June 2007, Nickelodeon announced that they would not renew it for a second season.

Shows

The Umbilical Brothers have performed six shows, four of which appear as DVDs:

DVD releases

References

  1. ↑ "Umbilical Brothers' Kidshow definitely not suitable for children". The Umbilical Brothers — or “Umbies” as they’re fondly known — have been kicking around since the very early 1990s, a creative partnership born of a friendship that began when Collins and Dundas were both studying at the University of Western Sydney. News Corp. The Daily Telegraph. 13 June 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  2. ↑ "Umbilical Brothers didn't expect joke to last". "We met the Queen and David Letterman and all this stuff you can't imagine. I still can't believe it all happened. I am in the Matrix?". The Observer. 29 January 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  3. ↑ "QUITTING KIDS TV – 'UPSIDE' DUO TALK ABOUT GETTING OUT JUST AS HIT SERIES IS GETTING STARTED". Doing more episodes “is a big question for us,” says Dundas. New York Post. 27 December 2006. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  4. ↑ http://www.dvdorchard.com.au/187413/the-umbilical-brothers-upside-down-show-vols-1-5-australian-childrens-kids-tv-on-dvd
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