Review: Buff, EdFringe

Pleasance Courtyard (Pleasance Below)

Being a plus-size theatre reviewer has its moments (you try squeezing into the tightly-packed seating of some venues), but there aren’t many shows that truly represent plus-size bodies. In fact, there aren’t that many larger actors on our stages, and when they are there they can fall victim to prejudice. You might remember when a New York Times theatre critic body-shamed actress Alysha Umphress in a 2018 review, or when a year later a music critic for Die Welt pointedly judged the size of some opera singers at the Salzburg Festival. In the UK theatre world, West End actor Chloe Hart tweeted in 2021 about the realities of being a plus-size actress, meaning she is often overlooked as the love interest.

I knew I’d be comfortable seeing this play when I spotted a trigger warnings sign placed at the venue door, warning of “Homophobia, strong language, sexual references and derogatory references to body size and shape.” This is clearly a production with genuine intentions to represent people who are often marginalised in society and not merely typecast them as ‘bubbly’ or ‘the gay best friend’.  

Buff tells the story of a gay plus-size primary school teacher (played by Pearse Egan) whose new flatmate, Jamie, is a fitness influencer. How does he manage body image issues and society’s expectations when this very fit and desirable young guy is in his kitchen making small talk about chicken and broccoli? What’s it like to battle fat jokes on Grindr and then face casually homophobic schoolkids?

Egan, who you may have seen in independent gay rugby film In from the Side, beautifully carries this one-man show as our unnamed main character. As Egan is also a comedian, he has the comedy chops to oscillate between the light and dark moments of Ben Fensome’s excellent script: one minute we’re in the classroom wrangling students, the next we’re back at the flat after a date, or comparing love handles to ‘Apollo’s Belt’. I particularly enjoyed the pop culture references, ranging from Raven-Symoné to the much-missed Channel 4 teen drama As If. When the story develops, we learn how Jamie’s interactions change, even though we never hear from Jamie himself. There’s no scenery on stage, save for a single pink chair for Egan to use, but scenery changes would interrupt the flow.

Egan has tears in his eyes as he thanks the audience afterwards, and he’s not the only one moved. Buff is one of those Fringe gems that deserves to tour the UK and be seen by audiences of all shapes, sizes and sexualities.     

Written by: Ben Fensome
Produced by: Sibearita Productions, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Pleasance
Directed by: Scott Le Crass
Read all about the crowdfunding process for Buff at Vault Festival earlier this year.

Buff was on at the Pleasance Courtyard (Pleasance Below) as part of the Edinburgh Fringe.