So there I was, watching the first 10 minutes of the Umbilical Brothers Adelaide Fringe show The Distraction when it dawned on me: I’d seen this exact same show last year at the Fringe! Well, nearly the same if I’m being honest. The 2021 performance was wonderfully entertaining but plagued with frustrating technological problems, causing a 15-minute delay to the start of the show, as well as a 10-minute pause during the performance as they tried to repair a camera. This year, however, it was all smooth sailing. Umbilical Brothers David and Shane are able to fully immerse themselves in the ridiculous characters they play on stage, without the distraction (pun intended) of technical glitches. 

Imagine drinking a dozen cups of coffee, downing them with a bag of sugar while downloading every special effects app available on your phone… this is The Distraction! It’s a wonderfully manic ballet of sketches, jokes, and visual effects, all performed in front of a green screen and full of absolutely bizarre characters and creations. Shane and David have always excelled in sketch comedy, usually relying on their amazing vocal talents to get them through shows. But in The Distraction, they rely on computer-generated special effects to carry them through the performance, and they will leave you in fits of laughter at the insanity they come up with. From an astronaut trapped in space with a giant baby (a hilarious common theme throughout the show) to a man whose head explodes when he realises things, to a tool demonstration ad that doesn’t quite go according to plan, the Umbilical Brothers will never let you get too comfortable in your seat, figuratively and literally. One of the most originally creative shows at Fringe 2022.

FOUR AND A HALF STARS *****

Reviewed by Shane Berketa