There’s more than a whiff of Les Misérables in this musical, in the sense that there’s a long build up before the working classes rise up against the establishment. There’s talk of barricades – plural – and even a shouty off-stage voice at one point barking at the assembled throng, telling them, essentially, their protests are feeble and futile, and must they do as they are told. The story itself is rather depressing, all the more so for being topical at a time of rising tensions in Britain ninety years on from the 1936 riots in Cable Street, which runs between Whitechapel and Limehouse in east London.
The narrative is incredibly balanced, with significant differences of opinion within each dwelling in a block of flats where the rents are periodically increased until they are beyond the tenants’ ability to afford to remain there. Indeed, there’s the possibility of a sequel musical to this one, which ends with a rent strike – there was an actual one in 1938-9 in east London following the establishment of the Stepney Tenants’ Defence League in 1937. It’s a very detailed story, even making diversions into the socialist effort at the time to support the republican antifascists fighting in the Spanish Civil War, and recognising the contributions of people from the Caribbean and Ireland to what became a close-knit community.
A thirteen strong cast as two of them doubling as musicians, and some take on multiple roles, switching, as far as the Battle of Cable Street goes, from one side to the other. At one point, Jez Unwin goes from Jewish patriarch Yitzah Scheinberg to Mick, Stepney branch leader of the British Union of Fascists (BUF), in seconds without even leaving the stage. As if that wasn’t enough, he’s also a tour guide, ninety years on from 1936, in scenes that cut across the main narrative, subtly providing some contemporary context and highlighting the legacy of those who stood firm for what they believed in. Debbie Chazen gloriously multi-roles too, as Kathleen, an Irish matriarch, and a police sergeant, both in 1936, and in 2026, Oonagh, a tourist with a personal vested interest in the area.
The fascists get an enthusiastic and upbeat musical number in the first half, which a fellow theatregoer likened to the Act Two opener in Operation Mincemeat, ‘Das Übermensch’, in which Nazi agents have a big song and dance to a tubthumping beat. I had ‘Springtime for Hitler’ from the Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan musical The Producers in my head – though here, the production chooses to end ‘BUF Anthem’, as well as another tune from one of the fascists’ new recruits, ‘Let Me In’, in such a way that lets the dialogue immediately continue without any opportunity for audience applause. I think everyone in the room would be aware the songs would be applauded rather than their sentiments, but on balance, the production made the right choice.
Barney Wilkinson’s Ron Williams was something of a lost soul. Having been persuaded by the BUF that the reason why he can’t secure employment is because jobs are being given to foreigners, he puts his trust in them, only to ultimately discover what fascism is really all about and reveal his true colours. Even the firebrand Sammy Scheinberg (Isaac Gryn), who seems ready to bonk heads at almost every opportunity, sees the true Ron, booted out of the BUF for, well, not being sufficiently antisemitic to remain in their ranks. A very heartfelt reconciliation comes about – and contrasts well with the sensationalism of various newspapers, regardless of their political stances, portrayed in several sketches throughout the evening.
Of course, to attempt to recreate the Battle of Cable Street on stage would be quite impossible, as the total number of fascists, antifascists and police combined were at least 100,000. In this regard, the usual admonition of ‘show, don’t tell!’ can be set aside. The driving beats of the musical numbers provide a gripping buildup to the main event, and the celebratory aftermath, tinged as it was by news of serious injuries sustained by one of the Scheinbergs. Elsewhere, fun is poked at the fascists, particularly in Ethan Pascal Peters’ portrayal of a newsie presenting the pro-fascist position of the Daily Mail. The energy in the show is astonishing, and one need not know anything about east London in the mid-1930s before seeing the production, and yet, nothing felt overlaboured or overexplained. It’s worth mentioning the show will transfer to New York, as part of the 2026 Brits Off Broadway season. A slick and sophisticated experience, it unashamedly tackles a chapter of London history head-on in an engaging and passionate way.
Review by Chris Omaweng
This exciting production takes us back to October 1936, in the heart of London’s East End. Sammy, Mairead and Ron are carving out their own futures on Cable Street when Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists start to march on East London. One hundred thousand Jews, Irish workers and communists unite to blockade the road they call home. As the people raise their voices and take a united stand against hatred, the lives of the streets’ residents are changed forever.
Featuring a powerful and contemporary score, Cable Street is an electrifying reimagining of one of London’s most significant days.
A celebration of community and a rallying call to action, this timeless story is as powerful today as it ever was.
Orlaith Kenny – Aoife Mac Namara
Ron Williams – Barney Wilkinson
Kathleen Kenny and Oonagh – Debbie Chazen
Moishe Scheinberg and Sol – Ethan Pascal Peters
Sammy Scheinberg – Isaac Gryn
Yitzah Scheinberg / Mick / Steve – Jez Unwin
Mairead Kenny – Lizzy-Rose Esin-Kelly
Rachel Scheinberg – Natalie Elisha-Welsh
Sean Kenny – Max Alexander-Taylor
Edie Williams and Elizabeth Warner – Preeya Kalidas
Rosa Scheinberg – Romona Lewis-Malley
Ensemble – Annie Majin, Michali Dantes
Music and Lyrics – Tim Gilvin
Book – Alex Kanefsky
Director – Adam Lenson
Musical Supervisor – Tamara Saringer
Orchestrations/Vocal Arrangements – Tim Gilvin
Set Designer – Yoav Segal
Sound Design – Charlie Smith
Choreographer – Jevan Howard Jones
Costume Designer – Lu Herbert
Lighting Designer – Sam Waddington/Ben Jacobs
Casting Director – Olivia Laydon for Jill Green Casting
Associate Director – Hetty Hodgson
Associate Sound Design – Mike Wood
Musical Director – Dan Glover
CABLE STREET
Marylebone Theatre, 16 January to 28 February 2026
59E59 Theaters, New York, 26 April to 24 May 2026
