Gavin and Stacey star Mathew Horne to star in Blur vs Oasis play

Horne will play the music industry executive who kicked off the race to No 1. between the two bands. Show will visit the Manchester Opera House in March 2026

Melting Pot and Birmingham Rep co-present The Battle, a new comedy based (mostly) on real events and are today thrilled to announce first casting as actor and comedian, Mathew Horne (star of the beloved BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey,  The Catherine Tate Show and in the West End, productions of The Tempest and Noises Off) confirms to play influential Britpop music executive, Andy Ross, caught in the crossfire of one of the most notorious rivalries in British music history. Heading to the Manchester Opera House from Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21st March as part of a major UK tour and a West End run, The Battle is a blistering and darkly funny exploration of fame, ego, and the cultural clashes of 1990s Britain. The Battle offers an electrifying window into a moment that defined a generation – and changed the face of British music forever.

Mathew says of joining the cast of the play: “This play is right in the sweet spot of my teenage cultural experience. I’m thrilled to be exploring this iconic era in music on stage with such a talented creative team involved.”

Mathew is a British actor and writer. Best known for his portrayal of Gavin in the beloved BBC 1 show, Gavin and Stacey, he is a brilliant comedy performer with numerous credits to his name. 

Theatre Credits Include: Endgame (Theatre Royal Bath), The Lover / The Collection (Theatre Royal Bath), Noises Off (Theatre Royal Haymarket), The Homecoming (Theatre Royal Bath & UK Tour), Rain Man (UK Tour), The Miser(Garrick), The Pride (Trafalgar Studios & UK Tour) and Charley’s Aunt (Menier Chocolate Factory & Theatre Royal Bath).

Film Credits Include: Bad Education (Cavebear Productions), Breaking the Bank (BTB Productions Ltd.), Horrid Henry (Vertigo Films) and Vanity Fair (VF Films).

Television Credits Include: Gavin and Stacey (BBC), Dad’s Army: The Lost Episodes (UKTV), Agatha Raisin (Sky), Worried About The Boy (BBC Two), Chekhov: Comedy Shorts (Baby Cow / Sky Arts), Catherine Tate’s Nan (Tiger Aspect) and Bad Education (BBC Three).

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 Best known for his razor-sharp novels including Kill Your Friends and The Second Coming, John Niven brings his uncompromising voice to the stage for the first time. The Battle draws on his deep insider knowledge of the music industry, shining a satirical light on the chaos behind the cool Britannia façade. The Battle is 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 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.

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 and Casting Director, Claire Bleasdale.

After its World Premiere in Birmingham, Wednesday 11 February – Saturday 7 March, the tour then visits Leicester, Curve Theatre, Tuesday 10 – Saturday 14 March; Manchester, Opera House, 17 – Saturday 21 March; Bromley, Churchill Theatre, Tuesday 24 – Saturday 28 March; Woking, New Victoria Theatre, Tuesday 31 March – Saturday 4 April; Cheltenham, Everyman Theatre, Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 April; Edinburgh, Festival Theatre, Tuesday 21 April – Saturday 25 April; Cardiff, Wales Millennium Centre,Tuesday 28 April – Saturday 2 May; Sheffield, Lyceum Theatre, Tuesday 5 – Saturday 9 May; Ipswich, Regent Theatre, Tuesday 12 – Saturday 16 May; London, Richmond Theatre, Tuesday 19 – Saturday 23 May; Glasgow, Theatre Royal, Tuesday 26 May – Saturday 30 May; York, Grand Opera House, Tuesday 9 – Saturday 13 June; Norwich, Theatre Royal, Tuesday 16 – Saturday 20 June; Nottingham, Theatre Royal, Tuesday 23 – Saturday 27 June; Milton Keynes Theatre, Tuesday 30 June – Saturday 4 July; Newcastle, Theatre Royal, Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 July; Brighton, Theatre Royal, Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 July; Chester, Storyhouse Theatre, Tuesday 28 July – Saturday 1 August.

The Battle is produced by Melting Pot, Birmingham Rep and Gavin Kalin.

THE BATTLE – 2026 TOUR DATES :

• Manchester, Opera House
• Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 March
• www.atgtickets.com