The Blur vs Oasis ‘Battle Of Britpop’ to be retold in new on-stage comedy by John Niven
A new theatre comedy penned by John Niven and exploring Blur and Oasis’ infamous Britpop chart battle has been announced for a UK tour in 2026. Check out the trailer above and details below.
The Battle will debut in February 2026, and explores the two Britpop giants releasing ‘Country House’ and ‘Roll With It’ in direct competition on the same day in August 1995 in a bid to hit Number One. Blur famously won ‘The Battle Of Britpop’, after selling 274,000 copies, with Oasis selling 216,000 singles.
The play is written by author, screenwriter and former music industry legend John Niven – famed for his best-selling book O’Brother and the acclaimed satire turned movie starring Nicholous Hoult Kill Your Friends – and is directed by Matthew Dunster, known for his work on the play 2:22 A Ghost Story.
Speaking about the play, Niven said: “1995: a time long before music splintered into a billion different TikTok feeds. When music was so central to the culture that two pop groups could dominate the entire summer, the evening news and the front page of every newspaper in the country. We’re going to take you back there.
“I’ve never written for the stage before, and it has been an absolute blast to do so for the first time with a producer as supportive as Simon [Friend] and a director as talented as Matthew.”
Director, Matthew Dunster, added: “I remember the Battle of the Bands. I remember the charts that week. Music mattered. I remember being in my twenties in 1995. What a wild time. Full of energy, naughtiness and hilarity. Just like John Niven’s play. I’m so delighted to be working with John on such a punchy, hilarious and revealing comedy about two of the best bands of all time, Blur and Oasis.”
Meanwhile, producer Simon Friend continued: “Throughout my sister’s teenage years, she had an enormous poster of Damon Albarn on her wall, and I remember her falling out with friends over which band they loved more. Ever since, this story has been in the back of my mind, and I was delighted that John Niven agreed to write it because there is no more qualified or hilarious chronicler of this world, and combined with Matthew Dunster directing, we have a fearless team recreating the sweaty mid-‘90s carnage of ‘The Battle of Britpop’.”
According to a press release, audiences can expect “filthy language and razor-sharp dialogue” in this musical comedy, recalling when fans were encouraged to pick sides as the Oasis and Blur chart battle reached the front page of magazines and newspapers, turning it into a football derby-like spectacle.
The Battle will premiere at Birmingham Rep Theatre on February 11 2026, before embarking on a UK-wide tour and then hitting the West End.
The Battle will go to these venues in 2026:
FEBRUARY
11-7(March) – Birmingham Rep – Birmingham
MARCH
9-14 – Curve Theatre – Leicester
17-21 – Opera House – Manchester
24-28 – Churchill Theatre – Bromley
31-4(April) – New Victoria Theatre – Woking
APRIL
14-19 – Everyman Theatre – Cheltenham
21-25 – Festival Theatre – Edinburgh
28-2(May) – Wales Millennium Centre – Cardiff
MAY
5-9 – Lyceum Theatre – Sheffield
12-16 – Regent Theatre – Ipswich
19-23 – Richmond Theatre – London
26-30 – Theatre Royal – Glasgow
JUNE
9-13 – Grand Opera House – York
16-20 – Theatre Royal – Norwich
23-27 – Theatre Royal – Nottingham
30-4(July) – Milton Keynes Theatre – Milton Keynes
JULY
7-11 – Theatre Royal – Newcastle
14-18 – Theatre Royal – Brighton
28-1(August) – Storyhouse Theatre – Chester
Back in 2019, NME charted The Battle Of Britpop, speaking to main players from the scene, including those who have worked directly with Blur and Oasis. This included Stephen Street (Blur producer), Johnny Hopkins (Oasis press officer), and Steve Sutherland (NME editor in the ’90s).
It also featured quotes from the Oasis and Blur band members, which they said at the time of the battle. “I cared, ’cause I want Number Ones,” Liam Gallagher said back in 1995.
He continued: “I think ‘Roll With It’ is a great song. I met that Alex in the pub, so I bombed over and said, ‘Congratulations on Number One – it’s about fucking time, mate’ and he goes, ‘Oh yeah. But both our songs were shit anyway’. And I went, ‘No, this is where you’re wrong. And this is why I fuckin’ hate your band, and you. I thought our song was top.’ And then I went, ‘Do you want a line?’ and I gave him one and it was cool. But I still think they’re shit.”
Meanwhile, Blur’s bassist Alex James said: “I think they’re [Oasis] are a great band and that this is the defining Britpop moment. It’s not Blur versus Oasis, its Blur and Oasis against the world… The thing that most people don’t understand when they read the papers is that this rivalry is all made up. I know that when I want to hear a good song I can write one and when I want to go for a drink, I can call up Liam. There’s few people I’d rather drink with than Oasis.”
Oasis are set to return for their long-awaited Live ’25 reunion tour in July, after the line-up of the full band was recently revealed to NME. Noel and Liam Gallagher were recently spotted shooting together, with the former confirming that full band rehearsals will start in the coming weeks. Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones also confirmed to NME that Noel had been in the studio, working on material that may be solo or for Oasis.
While the band were snubbed from being inducted into the 2025 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, they are grappling with the top of the singles charts with the recent re-release of their classic single ‘Some Might Say’.
Having long buried the hatcher, Blur bassist Alex James recently said the Oasis reunion is “wonderful”, adding that it was “awful that most bands end up hating each other”.
The post The Blur vs Oasis ‘Battle Of Britpop’ to be retold in new on-stage comedy by John Niven appeared first on NME.
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