Comedian Brendan Murphy's newest one-man stage play will retell the entirety of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's story from the perspective of Spike.
According to culture and event guide TimeOut, Buffy Revamped, which is part of the latest season of productions at Wilton's Music Hall in London, will see Murphy attempt to condense all 144 episodes of the 1990s supernatural drama into a 70-minute stage adaptation. This won't be the first time the comedian has retold a beloved, long-running series in a shortened time frame; his previous play, Friend, reimagined all 10 seasons of David Crane and Marta Kauffman's Friends and told the story from the perspective of barista Gunther.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer was created by Joss Whedon, who has recently been accused of abusive behavior on set by multiple actors, including the DC Extended Universe's Gal Gadot and Ray Fisher and Buffy's own Charisma Carpenter. The show premiered in March 1997 and tells the story of the titular vampire hunter as she tries to balance her life as a high school student and battle the forces of evil. It was nominated for several prestigious awards, including multiple Emmys, Nebula Awards and Saturn Awards, and won a Hugo Award in 2002.
The show also spawned a wealth of spinoffs and continuations, including books, comics, video games and podcasts. Most notably, the television series Angel debuted in October 1999 and focused on Buffy's complicated vampire love interest of the same name. The series ran for five seasons, producing 110 episodes, and depicted Angel's various adventures in Los Angeles.
In comics, BOOM! Studios' ongoing title Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer by Casey Gilly, Joe Jaro, Joana Lafuente and Ed Dukeshire sees a much older version of the iconic Slayer and the only surviving member of the original Scooby Gang trying to endure a world ruled by vampires. However, things drastically change when Spike makes his triumphant return, and Buffy finds herself training the next generation of monster hunters.
Moreover, BOOM! Studios recently announced a new comic title, The Vampire Slayer, which is expected to launch in April. The spinoff promises a "brand-new era for the Chosen One," and based on the official synopsis, it appears that Buffy will be passing on the mantle to a new vampire hunter. Sarah Gailey (Eat the Rich) is writing the story and Irene Flores (Just Beyond) is handling the art.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Hulu. Buffy Revamped will run from April 19th to the 23rd.
Source: TimeOut