The critically acclaimed, one-man play addresses body image pressures and social media jealousy.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe hit, BUFF, will be heading on a UK tour from April 2025, calling at Bath and Bristol. Written by the rising star playwright Ben Fensome and directed by Offie Award nominated Scott Le Crass, the critically acclaimed, one-man play addresses body image pressures and social media jealousy in one gay man’s journey to self-acceptance whilst navigating the world of online dating.
Presented by Emmerson and Ward Productions, this smash hit show follows a plus-sized, gay, primary school teacher who decides to sublet his flat to a buff Instagram model after a nasty break-up from a six-year relationship. BUFF touches on themes of dating and hook-up culture, with Fensome’s protagonist - played by Jamal Franklin (Little Shop of Horrors, Crucible theatre; Limp Wrist & The Iron Fist; Brixton House) - swiftly discovering the world of online apps can be a cruel place for people like him. Both his humiliations and his feelings towards his new flatmate form until he is ultimately forced to confront himself.
This funny yet poignant play centres upon a character whose story often isn’t told; plus sized characters tend to be used as comic relief sidekicks, or supporting ensemble, and are largely omitted from mainstream queer theatre. While BUFF’s central character is funny and endearing, he is complex, flawed and insecure. Fensome’s liberating play faces challenges of the modern climate head on, confronting self-acceptance in a social media focused world, loneliness and heartbreak. The play’s moving conclusion encourages audiences to hold themselves accountable before judging others too quickly.
BUFF is one of those Fringe gems that deserves to tour the UK and be seen by audiences of all shapes, sizes and sexualities. – Everything Theatre ★★★★★
BUFF
Bath Theatre Royal Sawclose Bath, BA1 1ET: 9th -10th May
Tickets: Buff — Theatre Royal Bath
Bristol Tobacco Factories Bristol, BS3 1TF: 7th June
Tickets: Buff - Tobacco Factory Theatres
All tour dates: BUFF — Emmerson & Ward Productions