Blur vs. Oasis chart battle inspires new comedy play – 2026 UK tour announced
The Battle is written by John Niven
A new comedy play inspired by Blur and Oasis’ legendary chart battle 30 years ago will tour the UK in 2026.
The Battle is the first stage play by screenwriter and acclaimed novelist John Niven (O’Brother, Kill Your Friends, How To Build A Girl), and it relives the glorious summer of 1995 when Blur’s ‘Country House’ and Oasis’ ‘Roll With it’ fought it out for the UK Number 1 single.
The much-hyped ‘Battle of Britpop’ was extensively covered by the media, and Blur ultimately triumphed shifting 274,000 copies of ‘Country House’ compared to Oasis’ 216,000 units.
Directed by Matthew Dunster and produced by Simon Friend, The Battle will premiere at Birmingham Rep on Wednesday 11th February 2026 and runs at the venue until Saturday 7th March.
It will then tour the UK visiting Leicester, Manchester, Bromley, Woking, Cheltenham, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Sheffield, Ipswich, London, Glasgow, York, Norwich, Nottingham, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Brighton and Chester.
Tickets are available from The Battle play’s official website RIGHT HERE.
A synopsis of The Battle reads: ‘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.’
John Niven comments: “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.”
The Battle’s 2026 UK tour dates:
Birmingham Rep - Wednesday 11 February to Saturday 7 March
Leicester Curve Theatre - Tuesday 10 to Saturday 14 March
Manchester Opera House - Tuesday 17 to Saturday 21 March
Bromley Churchill Theatre - Tuesday 24 to Saturday 28 March
Woking New Victoria Theatre - Tuesday 31 March to Saturday 4 April
Cheltenham Everyman Theatre - Tuesday 14 to Saturday 18 April
Edinburgh Festival Theatre - Tuesday 21 April to Saturday 25 April
Cardiff Millennium Centre - Tuesday 28 April to Saturday 2 May
Sheffield Lyceum Theatre - Tuesday 5 to Saturday 9 May
Ipswich Regent Theatre - Tuesday 12 to Saturday 16 May
London Richmond Theatre - Tuesday 19 to Saturday 23 May
Glasgow Theatre Royal - Tuesday 26 May to Saturday 30 May
York Grand Opera House - Tuesday 9 to Saturday 13 June
Norwich Theatre Royal - Tuesday 16 to Saturday 20 June
Nottingham Theatre Royal - Tuesday 23 to Saturday 27 June
Milton Keynes Theatre - Tuesday 30 June to Saturday 4 July
Newcastle Theatre Royal - Tuesday 7 to Saturday 11 July
Brighton Theatre Royal - Tuesday 14 to Saturday 18 July
Chester Storyhouse Theatre - Tuesday 28 July to Saturday 1 August
Buy The Battle tickets
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Kim Wilde - March 2027
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The Enemy - March 2027
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Supergrass - April-May 2027
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Simple Minds - May 2027
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Oasis - May-September 2027
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Register for ticket sales here