MBC Chats To: Abbie Murphy

Abbie Murphy is a comedian, actor and writer whose sharp observational comedy has earned her a reputation as one of the UK's rising stand-up talents. A finalist in Not So New Comedian of the Year 2025, she's appeared on screen in David Brent: Life on the Road, Cheaters and Breeders, while continuing to build a loyal following for her acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe shows.

She's bringing her new work-in-progress show, Garage Girl, to Monkey Barrel Comedy on Saturday June 13th. A nostalgic love letter to UK Garage, growing up in the '90s and asking whether life really was better back then. We sat down with her for a chat ahead of her visit.

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Hey Abbie, how's your day going?

My day is going great, thanks!

You're bringing Garage Girl to Monkey Barrel as a work in progress this June. For anyone who hasn't come across the show yet, what can they expect?

A trip down memory lane! A look back at growing up in the '90s and how us Millennials have fared since.

The show is described as a love letter to UK Garage and the tunes that defined a generation. What was it about that era and that music scene that made you want to build a comedy show around it?

The initial impetus for the show was to write about something that brings me joy. I had to go back as far as 2001 to find it, and the "it" was Garage music and that time in my life. Us teens of that era are now turning 40! Which I think is about the age when you start getting nostalgic about your youth. You've lived four decades now — time to take stock!

You're bringing the show as a work-in-progress. How ruthless are you in the edit? Are you good at cutting material you love if it doesn't serve the show?

Yes, that's the stage I'm at now with this work-in-progress. Some things I keep for club sets, as they work nicely in shorter sets or for MCing. But it's definitely tough, because a crowd-pleaser can quickly become a security blanket if you let the voice of doubt creep in and tell yourself that's the best of you.

One of the questions at the heart of the show is whether life was actually better back then, or whether we were all just younger. Have you come any closer to an answer while writing it?

I mean... the world has certainly gotten a lot more complicated, so perhaps the answer is a resounding yes — it was better in the '90s!

However, if all we have is the here and now, then I'm going to foster as much joy as possible in spite of all the doom — as an act of resistance, in fact. We can empathise with the tragedy all around us, yet still inspire hope, happiness, frivolity and playfulness in ourselves and others. In fact, we must! To keep the vibrations high!

UK Garage has enjoyed a huge revival in recent years. Why do you think people are still so drawn to it?

Because it's epic!! It's uplifting and good to dance to. But also, I think it's a collective yearning for simpler times. A time when we danced more, sang more, saw our friends more, politics felt simpler, and perfectionism was less of a thing. Our fashion, hairstyles and homes were all a bit different, and that difference gave us more breathing space to just be ourselves.

You've worked across stand-up, sketch comedy and acting. How much more demanding is writing an hour-long solo show compared to other things you've tried?

The writing of the show material itself isn't demanding — that's the fun part! I'd say it's all the admin that goes with it that can be laborious. Comedy ='s a lot of admin! Booking gigs, work-in-progress shows, travel, festivals, creating artwork, printing materials — the list goes on. You immediately become the producer too. That's the stuff I have to dig deep for (both in my soul and my pockets)

You've spoken about putting together your first Fringe show remarkably quickly. Has your writing process become more methodical over the years, or do you still trust your instincts first and foremost?

If I'm interested in pursuing something, I tend to hyper-focus and dive right in. With this show, I've really slowed down the writing process. I've done many more work-in-progress shows this time around, and I've really enjoyed the slow brew on this one. It's been better for my nervous system, and I've enjoyed it so much more.

You've performed a number of Edinburgh shows over the years. Has your approach to creating a Fringe hour changed much since your debut?

Yes - this is my sixth show! Having performed one-woman shows, worked in a sketch double act and done stand-up, I feel I've stretched myself creatively in lots of different ways.

Garage Girl, however, is the first show that doesn't have a hard-copy script. My other shows were physically written and typed up. But Garage Girl has been brewed on the circuit, and not writing it out in full has given me more space to adapt, tweak and find the right delivery for the material. It's also kept me more available to the audience and more open to seeing where the conversation goes with the crowd.

It's genuinely been a joy to build this show and share it with people. It's been so well received - I love performing it.

And finally, if you could bring back one thing from the UK Garage era - not a song, but a trend, habit or part of everyday life - what would it be?

Dance more.

I used to go out dancing four or five nights a week. Lately, playing the tunes of my youth LOUDLY has been completely cathartic and has shown me that I can access that joy whenever I want — it's not gone!

Sure, I'm less inclined to go clubbing now, but cranking the tunes up when I'm home alone doing the housework, listening on my commute, at family gatherings, or at BBQs with mates is bliss.

I urge you to try it. If Garage isn't for you, just put some '90s tracks on. I swear it's the fastest way to regulate a Millennial's nervous system (which is probably shot to bits at this point!).

Let Lighthouse Family, Heather Small and Simply Red soothe your inner child. You won't regret it. Lol.

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Abbie Murphy: Garage Girl (Work In Progress) comes to Monkey Barrel Comedy on Saturday June 13th at 6PM. You can get tickets here.

You can follow Abbie on Instagram here.