⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Four Stars)

Following two sold-out runs at Southwark Playhouse and prior to an Off-Broadway transfer, Cable Street returns to the London stage in a powerful and moving production that tells the true story of working-class East Londoners fighting back against fascism in the Battle of Cable Street. Directed by Adam Lenson, Cable Street is a new British musical that is both poignant and deeply resonant today. It acts as a call to action for communities to join together to stand up to far-right rhetoric and violence, with Mosley’s march ninety years ago in 1936 chillingly mirroring the disorder incited by 21st-century figures such as Tommy Robinson.

Opening with a group of brightly dressed tourists and locals embarking on a walking tour of London’s East End, Cable Street sees the group transform into the inhabitants of the street in 1936. We learn that in the 1930s, Cable Street was home primarily to Jewish and Irish residents, two communities under attack by Oswald Mosley, founder of the British Union of Fascists (BUF). Mosley and his supporters - the “blackshirts”, who sport red armbands and greet each other with salutes and calls of “Heil Mosley” - are planning to march on East London to provoke violence and strike terror into these communities.

As an audience, we follow the interwoven stories of three main characters (Sammy Scheinberg, Mairead Kenny, and Ron Williams) with their families, neighbours, and Mosley’s blackshirts portrayed by a talented and versatile multi-roling ensemble. The action is punctuated with interludes from newspaper sellers who, through reprises of a number called “Read All About It”, in a nod to the music hall style of Oliver!’s “Oom-Pah-Pah”, embody each paper’s perspective on the unfolding events, giving us an insight into how the story was being portrayed to the general public by the media at the time.

Through our trio of protagonists, we see how the community unites to protect their home. Isaac Gryn, as Sammy, is full of charisma and youthful energy, with most of his musical material being rapped and delivered with impressive clarity and power. As Mairead, Lizzy-Rose Esin-Kelly has some standout vocal moments, especially during the number “My Street” and its reprises, which she performs characterfully as a rallying call to her local community. Rounding out the trio is Barney Wilkinson as Ron, who delivers a believable portrayal of a disillusioned and desperate young man who falls for the promises the BUF were never going to deliver on, before facing the consequences of his actions.

Lenson’s direction features some really lovely moments of staging, particularly where scenes taking place in multiple Cable Street homes are depicted simultaneously on stage within the same playing space, helping to maintain a strong sense of the interweaving storylines. Alex Kanefsky’s book similarly does a fantastic job of weaving these stories together, although not all lines fully land with the audience and some elicit laughs where perhaps they should not. Meanwhile the music and lyrics by Tim Gilvin heighten the emotional impact of the narrative: the score ranges from contemporary musical theatre to hip-hop, to a campy anthem for the fascists, along with a sprinkling of inspiration from Lionel Bart and the sweeping revolutionary sound of Les Misérables. This cocktail of musical influences (all while remaining tonally consistent) provides much-appreciated variety and gives different characters distinct musical identities.

The set design by Yoav Segal evokes 1930s London effectively, with a block of flats at the rear of the stage whose windows illuminate throughout the production, as well as doors on either side and walls of corrugated iron. Through the introduction of a few key set pieces, locations such as the residents’ homes and the barricade built during the Battle of Cable Street are vividly brought to life. The lighting, co-designed by Sam Waddington and Ben Jacobs, also has some strikingly effective moments, particularly during the Battle itself.

Overall, Cable Street is an exciting new British musical that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in learning more about London’s history. It speaks powerfully to themes that remain relevant today - from young men like Ron being lured into fascist ideologies to communities being scapegoated for society’s problems - and is supported by a varied and emotionally engaging score.

Cable Street runs at Marylebone Theatre until 28th February 2026.

Tickets Available Here