I JOINED a packed press night at The Birmingham Rep yesterday for the excitement of a new play about the 1995 showdown between those rock band giants Blur and Oasis. I left reeling with the feeling of having been to a lesson in partying from a generation that made my halcyon 1960s days look like the warm-up act.

The Battle is the first play from the pen of acclaimed novelist John Niven and produced in house at The REP under the superb direction of the talented Matthew Dunster. It’s a joint production with Gavin Kalin Productions and Melting Pot – two top international, award-winning producers with a string of Broadway and West End notches on their bedposts.

Niven (who was working as an A & R man in the music world at that time) has written his story from factual interviews and news records plus his own fictional imaginings. In a nutshell it’s the famous back story to the ‘battle of bands’ that captured the minds and headlines over the few weeks when both bands released singles on the same day. Which Rock Gods would be the undisputed numero unos? Blur with their Country House’ or Oasis with ‘Roll With It’?

Picture by Helen Murray. s

From the get-go, ‘The Battle’ doesn’t take itself too seriously – it’s raucous, outrageous, filthy and fabulously funny. It’s hard north v soft south, middle class art students v working class bad asses with the common link of ‘everything in excess’.

Fly Davis’ set must be as fast moving and seamless as the action – slick it certainly is – moving as it does from podiums and backstage at award ceremonies, to VIP areas in night clubs, recording studios, dressing rooms and a myriad of other spaces. All moving whilst cleverly sandwiched between a panoramic video screen designed by Tal Rosner.Beavis and Butthead-style animations from the magic of John O’Connor, include Radio DJs of the time Chris Evans, Jo Whiley and Dany Baker as caricatures giving their take on the battle.

Picture by Helen Murray. s

Refreshingly ‘The Battle’ remains a play, never even coming near being a jukebox cash cow – aka musical. The soundtrack is a clever backdrop and a roadmap featuring not just snips of Oasis and Blur, but amongst others Pulp, Take That and the Chemical Brothers.

For Oasis, George Usher not long from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School makes a very impressive professional stage debut as Liam Gallagher. Usher not only has the angry voice off to a tee, he’s totally in the groove with the mad brothers ‘scalded-cat’ animated movement. Paddy Stafford captures the more subdued Noel Gallagher, bringing a little sanity to the hedonism of the infamous brother’s lifestyle.

In the Blur camp, Oscar Lloyd as Damon Albarn offers up more of an intellectual rock star who tempers his rockery with worries about public image. Brandon Bendell as Alex James has no such worries, embracing the debauchery with a relish to make a Rolling Stone doff his forelock.

There are strong performances from all the company with special mentions for Mathew Horne as Blur’s cany manager Andy Ross and Will Taylor’s beautifully paranoid Graham Coxon.

Picture by Helen Murray. s

The Battle is a unique piece of theatre – yes, like all new work there is some fine tuning to be done, but it’s certainly got a heart and soul. Assuredly – like fans of the two bands – this is a show that is likely to split audiences. I guarantee you won’t find more profanity on offer anywhere else in theatre land so be warned – it’s got a 16 guideline. Also worth saying is that you don’t have to be a fan of either band to enjoy the outrageousness proffered.

As critics we have been asked to not give away the ending, so all I can say it left me with a dropped jaw – popped eyes and a rib cage full of aching funny bones.

I loved ‘The Battle’ – so proud it started in our city. Watch out West End, there’s a steam roller heading down to the smoke!