ExCo
Award-winning writer, comedian and music journalist Marc Burrows is delighted to be bringing The Britpop Show - a multimedia stand-up celebration of one of Britain’s most iconic and chaotic musical eras to the Isle of Wight this March. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the mega Blur vs Oasis chart battle, and The Britpop Show unpicks the rivalries, hype, absurd personalities and unforgettable music that defined the 90s Britpop era and changed the face of UK culture.
During his career, Marc has interviewed some of Britpop’s biggest stars. With wit, warmth and a knack for finding the strange beneath the surface, he charts the rise and fall of a movement that started with hope and swagger and ended in excess and identity crisis. At its peak, Britpop was more than music - it was freedom, fun, Hooch, Union Jacks on everything, and a generation of nerdy outsiders finding themselves suddenly famous. But what came after the Blur vs Oasis frenzy? What happened when Britpop stopped being fun? What influence did New Labour’s election victory have as the UK hurtled towards the millennium? And how did Damon Albarn sleep with so many people’s girlfriends?
Equal parts love letter and send-up, The Britpop Show is sharp, silly and surprisingly moving. It explores the legacy of the era, from middle-class pretension vs working-class grit to the way British music tried to reinvent itself in the '90s, to what happened when cocaine, commercialisation and culture wars kicked in.
On bringing the show to the Isle of Wight, Marc says: This is going to be such a fun show! We’ve got a live band playing Britpop hits as part of the night. The island is obviously steeped in British rock ‘n’ roll history, from the original Isle of Wight Festival down to the new one. I saw Blur play the festival in 2015, and Suede headline the second stage in 2024!
Directed by Dec Munro, the show blends comedy, cultural commentary and nostalgic chaos to remember what made Britpop brilliant in the first place and to create something uniquely fun and resonant - a show for diehard fans, curious newbies, and anyone who remembers the distinct sound of 1995. Packed with jokes, classic tunes, and a heartfelt celebration of the best (and worst) of a musical moment that still shapes British identity today, this is a joyous, raucous look back at the 90s. Remembering the music, memories and the mayhem, this show captures the spirit of a cultural moment when anything seemed possible.
The Britpop Show will be at the Quay Arts Centre on Saturday 14th March. For tickets and more information, visit: https://www.quayarts.org/event/the-britpop-show-2/
1. Contributed
“Will make you laugh your bucket hat off” ★★★★ Beyond the Joke - Marc Burrows brings The Britpop Show to the Quay Arts Centre Photo: Submitted
2. Contributed
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the mega Blur vs Oasis chart battle, and The Britpop Show unpicks the rivalries, hype, absurd personalities and unforgettable music that defined the 90s Britpop era and changed the face of UK culture. Photo: Submitted
3. Contributed
Marc, an award-winning music and culture journalist (The Guardian, The Quietus, The Big Issue), is best known for his acclaimed show The Magic of Terry Pratchett, (based on his book of the same name) which is endorsed by Pratchett’s estate, has sold over 10,000 tickets across the UK on tour, played to great acclaim at the Adelaide Fringe, and recently sold out London’s Duchess Theatre with Terry Pratchett’s daughter, Rhianna Pratchett, as a special guest. Photo: Submitted
4. Contributed
Marc Burrows asks But what came after the Blur vs Oasis frenzy? What happened when Britpop stopped being fun? What influence did New Labour’s election victory have as the UK hurtled towards the millennium? And how did Damon Albarn sleep with so many people’s girlfriends? Photo: Submitted