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Review: The Battle: Blur v Oasis (1995) at the Manchester Opera House

Wednesday, 18 March 2026 16:45

By Natalie Barton

I was 13 in 1995, right in the middle of the whole Blur vs Oasis era, and like most Manchester teens at the time, I loved both, but let’s be honest, Oasis had the edge.

So walking into The Battle: Blur v Oasis (1995) at Manchester Opera House felt like stepping straight into nostalgia and honestly, it was one of the most fun nights I’ve had at the theatre in a long time.

The show dives into that iconic chart battle moment, but it’s not just a trip down memory lane, it’s properly funny. Laugh out loud funny and the laughs came often. The audience were completely with it from the start, and you could feel the shared memory in the room, everyone recognising the references, the attitudes, the overall vibes of that time in music.

George Usher is brilliant as Liam Gallagher, swagger, attitude, the voice, the whole lot and it’s all there without tipping into parody. Oscar Lloyd as Damon Albarn plays it perfectly, capturing that contrast between the two bands that made the whole rivalry so addictive in the first place.

The writing from John Niven is sharp and spot on. It leans into the humour but still manages to capture what that moment meant culturally, especially up here. It never feels forced, just really well observed, well paced, and packed with lines that land exactly as they should.

What makes it work so well is that balance, it’s nostalgic without being cheesy, funny without being daft, and it absolutely knows its audience. Being in Manchester, you could feel that extra layer of connection too, this is our music, our era, our story.

By the end, the crowd were fully on their feet with a standing ovation, which says everything really. It’s rare you get a show that has people laughing that much and then finishes on such a high.

Genuinely, one of the best nights I’ve had at the theatre in ages, whether you lived through it or just love the music, it’s an absolute must see.


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