The Battle
Melting Pot and Birmingham Rep co-present The Battle, a new comedy play based (mostly) on real events.
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 John Niven (O’Brother, Kill Your Friends, How To Build A Girl). Directed by Matthew Dunster (2:22 A Ghost Story, The Pillowman).
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 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.
