Manchester has been lucky enough to have a sprinkling of the best shows from last years Edinburgh Fringe. First came the fantastic Lizard Boy, then in September Unfortunate, and now the ‘stakes’ were higher than ever with Buffy Revamped.
Claiming the coveted 6pm slot on BBC 2 back in the late 90’s, ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ quickly became a show that helped shape a generation. It still has quite the cult following today, with Sunnydale hoodies littered throughout the sold-out auditorium.
Written and performed by comedian Brendan Murphy, the show is a high energy journey through the famous series. It is hard to fit 144 episodes into just 70 minutes, but Murphy does a ‘bloody’ good job in this hilarious one man show. He plays Spike, who acts as the narrator throughout. This however isn’t the only Sunnydale resident we meet, with countless characters making hilarious appearances throughout the show. Perhaps the best being Angel with hilarious physical comedy, but I won’t ruin that one! It is gloriously well written, littered with Buffy references in almost every sentence for fans to pick apart and devour. It lovingly pokes fun at some of the more bizarre plot twists of the show, as well as inconsistencies and things that haven’t aged favourably. This really is a show by a fan, for the fans!
Music is featured throughout, much to the delight of the audience. Alongside a multitude of Buffy references, the music cleverly parodied music from a similar time including Natalie Imbruglia, Shaggy and All Saints. It even featured a great R.E.M. inspired singalong to help close the show. This was far from the only way the simpler times of the 90’s were referenced. I particularly enjoyed the throwback to ‘Clarissa Explains It All’, and from the belly laughter of those around me, I wasn’t the only one. These cultural throwbacks as well as more current references helped give those less familiar with the source material things to enjoy.
Buffy Revamped continues its UK tour until May 2023. Full booking info below:
Note: My ticket was paid for personally and not gifted. Irrespective of whether a show is gifted or bought, I always ensure that my reviews are fair and based on my honest opinion alone.