It’s not just Noel and Liam that are returning to Scotland. The famously fiery Gallagher brothers maybe back together right now and preparing to head to Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium this August, but The Battle, a new comedy play by John Niven, based (mostly) on real events, is also set to head north of the border.
Reliving the heady summer of 1995 when heavyweights of Britpop, Blur and Oasis, went head-to-head in the greatest chart battle of all time, The Battle is the first stage play by screenwriter and Sunday Times best-selling novelist Niven. Directed by Matthew Dunster, The Battle will open at Birmingham Rep on 11 February 2026 ahead of a major UK tour that brings it to Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre (21-25 April, 2026) and Glasgow’s Theatre Royal (26-30 May), prior to a run on the West End.
London, 1995. Two of the country’s biggest bands release singles on the same day, commencing the battle of Britpop. On one side, clean-cut, art-school intellectuals from the South. On the other: raw and unapologetic lads from the North. Rivalries flare, friendships fracture and at the centre of it all a mania that would define an era – were you Blur or Oasis?
From the chaos of the Brit Awards to the infamous chart war, The Battle is a wickedly funny dive into one of the greatest rivalries in rock history. Featuring legendary personalities and unforgettable clashes, it was never just about the music, but power, pride, and uncontrollable competitiveness. Expect filthy language and razor-sharp dialogue in this cut-throat new comedy that puts you right at the heart of the feuding, the fame, and the fallout. Get ready to roll with it.
Niven, says, “1995: a time long before music splintered into a billion different Tik Tok 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 and a director as talented as Matthew.”
Dunster, adds, “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.”
After its World Premiere in Birmingham the tour then visits | Leicester, Curve Theatre, 10-14 March | Manchester, Opera House, 17-21 March | Bromley, Churchill Theatre, 24-28 March | Woking, New Victoria Theatre, 31-4 April | Cheltenham, Everyman Theatre, 14-18 April | Edinburgh, Festival Theatre, 21-25 April | Cardiff, Wales Millennium Centre, 28-2 May | Sheffield, Lyceum Theatre, 5-9 May | Ipswich, Regent Theatre, 12-16 May | London, Richmond Theatre, 19-23 May | Glasgow, Theatre Royal, 26 May-30 May | York, Grand Opera House, 9-13 June | Norwich, Theatre Royal, 16-20 June | Nottingham, Theatre Royal, 23-27 June | Milton Keynes Theatre, 30 June-4 July | Newcastle, Theatre Royal, 7-11 July | Brighton, Theatre Royal, 14-18 July | Chester, Storyhouse Theatre, 28 July-1 August.
Producer, Simon Friend, reflects, “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.”
Co-Producer and Artistic Director of the Birmingham Rep Joe Murphy, continues, “Bringing the World Premiere of The Battle to The Rep is genuinely so exciting. This chart battle rocked the nation and quite literally defined a generation and I already know that our audiences are going to have the time of their lives being taken back to the rivalries, the chaos and the big personalities that made it all so unforgettable.”
The creative team also includes Fly Davis as Set and Costume Designer, Jessica Hung Han Yun as Lighting Designer, Ian Dickinson as Sound Designer,Tal Rosner as Video Designer. The Battle is produced by Melting Pot, Birmingham Rep and Gavin Kalin.
Tickets on sale soon
