Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a television show that ran for seven seasons, across seven years, totalling in almost 150 episodes. Brendan Murphy has taken on the challenge to tell it all again, in a comedy and action-packed 70-minute show.
Murphy tells us the tale of Buffy from Spike’s point of view, the beloved rebel villain-turned-hero vampire character from the show. Although we could see the iconic bleached hair and red shirt, Murphy’s own energetic persona shines through the most.
This was not a simple stand-up show. It felt like a full theatre production, with a lot more involved and produced than I had expected, in the best way possible. Murphy keeps the pace going to get through the highlights from the original series, but it never felt unnaturally jumpy. Murphy easily switched between his various segments and storytelling styles to keep the momentum high.
He took on the role of a narrator, but also took on each of the most iconic characters from the show with quick wig and costume changes. We saw exaggerated and humorous depictions of Buffy, Angel, Willow, Xander, Anya, Giles and more. Murphy’s set was full of these costume pieces and other props, which he interacted with in turn. Some of the more ‘budget-friendly’ items providing even more laughs, such as the ‘costume and makeup’ for Murphy’s impression of the series Season 1 villain, The Master, being a simple piece of sticky-tape across the nose.
We also got to see a surprising amount of musical numbers that captured each moment of the story in their place. Murphy jumping between singing and talking in quick succession was impressive to see.
On the night that I saw Buffy Revamped, it was evident the crowd was full of super-fans of the series, and anyone who’s come across Buffy The Vampire Slayer before, whether seeing just an episode in passing or a dedicated devotee, will appreciate the amount of references, quotes, and reenactments that Murphy performed. There were obvious nods and deeper lore references.
The atmosphere created was the highlight of the show, with the audience participation relaxed and voluntary. By the end of the night, you could feel the whole room was on Brendan Murphy, or should we say Spike’s side.
The interludes between each mini-scene were unnoticeable, with prepared voiceovers, visual effects, slideshows and more, keeping the audience’s attention. It was a thoroughly entertaining evening, and this was reflected by the large cheers at the show’s conclusion.
I’d encourage even the most casual Buffy The Vampire Slayer to check out Buffy Revamped while you can. Brendan Murphy expertly pays loving homage to the groundbreaking television show nearly 20 years after its release, while also being able to poke fun at the bits that never quite made sense either. For a comedy show, 70 minutes can be quite a lengthy time, however, due to the style and production value of Murphy’s show, the time flew by and didn’t drag at all. His energy levels never seemed to dip across the whole night, and it seemed he was bouncing off walls in his passionate retelling.
Brendan Murphy’s Buffy Revamped is currently at Fortyfivedownstairs in Melbourne as part of the 2025 Melbourne International Comedy Festival until April 20th.
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/buffy-revamped
https://buffyrevamped.co.uk
https://www.instagram.com/buffyrevamped
Photography supplied.