Writer: Brendan Murphy
Director: Hamish MacDougall
You may need to sit down, for what I’m about to tell you: it’s 28 years since Buffy the Vampire Slayer first arrived on our screens (yes I am glossing over the 1992 film). Running for seven series, spawning a spin off series Angel, and with lead actor Sarah Michelle Gellar, appearing on posters in bedrooms across the land, it would be fair to say the show was a monster smash hit and a trailblazer for having a strong female protagonist front and centre for the show’s run.
What if you fancy a trip down memory lane with Buffy and all her pals, but haven’t got the time to rewatch all 144 episodes? Well fear not because writer/performer/comic, Brendan Murphy has condensed all seven series into a one man show, Buffy Revamped
Playing show favourite Spike, a vampire who more bears more than a passing resemblance to 80’s punk rocker Billy Idol, Murphy takes us on a whistle-stop tour of Sunnydale, where we meet Buffy, her friends Willow, Giles, Xander and of course a fellow vampire and love rival to Spike, Angel, appearing here as an arm in a leather jacket.
For the next 70 minutes Murphy gives masterclass in physical comedy, darting around the stage like a man possessed, as Spike brilliantly condenses the happenings and at times troubling plotlines and character arcs season by season. Some of these developments may have seemed a good idea at the time but certainly don’t look good in 2025. Spike always had a bit of swagger, a bit of bite (pun intended), so who better to tell the story of this iconic TV classic. Murphy does a fantastic job bringing him to life with a dynamic performance filled with energy and plenty of attitude.
Of course a knowledge of the TV show would no doubt be an advantage but not a necessity. I see this show as not just a love letter to the series but more a celebration of the 1990’s with plenty of references to the decade littering the show, my favourite being the comparison between Sunnydale and sleepy but murderous Midsomer. There are a few musical numbers from the late 90’s and early 00’s. Favourites Three Lions, Torn, It Wasn’t Me to name but a few are adapted to tell the Buffy story. The pick of these being a very smart version of Baz Luhrmann’s Sunscreen, giving advice on how best to survive life in Sunnydale.
Some of the action is broken up by some slides and clip projection explaining who was who and what was going on on the TV show, but also highlighting how utterly bonkers it was at times.
This is a fun, silly show executed by a performer on top of their game. It has a bit of everything, great set pieces, fun prop based gags, and a spot of audience participation, including a sing-along. From the casual to the die hard fan this is an entertaining treat, and well worth a look.
Buffy Revamped runs until 1st February