A few random ramblings…

Comedy Duos have always been met with a reasonable measure of success, primarily due to the dynamic of having two talented people entertaining an audience. It tends to stop things getting stale and predictable, as can be the case with a solo act.

Look at the greats… Abbott and Costello… Laurel and Hardy… Terence Hill and Bud Spencer… Hale and Pace… Cheech and Chong…

And, of course, when you put together a group of people… well, chaos and hilarity often go hand in hand. Look at The Goon Show and Monty Pythons.

And I’m happy to say that The Umbilical Brothers are a fine example of that tradition continuing.

I’m always interested in why certain acts and promoters pick the venues they do to perform in. I recently posted about The Police at Suncorp Stadium, and stated the show would have been much better had they selected a more intimate venue than a football stadium. In recent years, friends have gone to see a number of acts at the Brisbane Convention and Entertainment Centre at Southbank. A Perfect Circle, one of my favourite bands, played there in their last tour of Australia, and whilst they were kicking much ass on stage, the friends that went stated that it was a very lacklustre gig due to the venue. Ironically, both times that A Perfect Circle have toured Australia, I’ve had prior commitments prevent me from seeing them.

Which then brings us to the smaller venues. In it’s heyday, Festival Hall saw some of the biggest drawcards in the world hit the stage. The Beatles played there. Led Zeppelin played there. In my generation, the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins and Depeche Mode played there. To see it torn down and replaced with an inner city apartment building was a dagger to the heart of live music in Brisbane.

And so, we find ourselves at The Powerhouse in New Farm for this series of shows.

Now, I’ve been to the Powerhouse once before, and that was to see the Grin & Tonic Theatre Company’s performance of Monkey. That was performed at the ‘Bamboo Grove’… a natural amphitheatre further enhanced for the outdoor performances. That particular venue and setup was BRILLIANT and ideal for G&T’s interpretation of Monkey.

The first thing you notice about the Powerhouse is that it is exactly as it’s name suggests… built out of the remains of the old New Farm Power Station. Consequently, the facade, frameworks and walls are all very spartan industrial fare, with the newer additions to the facilities built in a highly contrasted modern theme. Many of the original brick walls remain, complete with ‘colourful’ graffiti painted at a time when the building was abandoned and used by squatters and Brisbanes homeless population.

Walking inside, you begin to appreciate just how monumentous a task it is, refurbishing an old industrial building into something fit for habitation, or commercial entertainment. Still, this place has created an awesome atmosphere and the Powerhouse Theatre, where Umbilical Brothers are performing, provides a nice 500 seat intimate atmosphere.

Which is the launchpad for the opening jokes from the duo, Shane and Dave. They welcome the audience, thanking us for coming out on a Sunday afternoon and surviving the challenge that is fitting 500 attendee’s vehicles in the 40 space carpark outside.

To try and put anything that these guys do into words is just a HUGE exercise in futility. The wit, energy and improvisation that they bring to their show is fantastic. This is highlighted by the seamless incorporation of a baby’s cry into their disclaimer that some elements may not be suitable for children… ironic for those who’ve ever seen The Upside Down Show.

The show moves from topic to topic only ever really stopping when the male-sounding ‘Tina’ has to rewind or playback certain elements or the equally male roadie, ‘Helen’, enters the stage to provide props or other comic interjections. Showing that the boys aren’t remaining stale (this show was originally produced in 1992 and then polished for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1994) the show incorporates digs at the ABC (read: The Barren Wastelands of Australian TV for more) and the Prime Minister’s recent apology to indigenous Australians (during a hilarious montage of radio programs where you hear ‘Sorry’… shortly followed by ‘This is the BBC… we’re not sorry’).

No topic or subculture is safe, whether it be cute fluffy children’s toys, German mime entertainment, karaoke or cabaret… or any combination therein.

My only disappointment for the show was the absence of The Threatening Bears… even though their sidekick, The Koala, made an appearance.

For anyone thinking about going to this show… stop! Don’t even THINK about it… just GO! Whip out the plastic, head to the Umbilical Brothers website, find the nearest venue and buy tickets. Buy them for yourself, your friends, your family, the neighbours cat, the kids down the street, that old homeless guy that you dropped a few coins to on the way to work each morning, the cops that pull you over for speeding… anyone.

But most importantly, make sure you see them live… because no matter what you’ve seen on TV, this shows trumps anything on offer beforehand.