© Jane Hobson
Cable Street is a new musical written by composer/lyricist Tim Gilvin (Unfortunate: the Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch) and playwright Alex Kanefsky (Artistic Director of Paper Balloon Theatre).
Currently playing it’s world premiere at Southwark Playhouse Borough, Cable Street is a topical and electrifying reimagining of one of London’s most momentous days – celebrating a community who came together with a call for action, as The Battle of Cable Street was fought and won. With racial tensions running high, people marched and took to the streets of London. This timeless story, set to a contemporary score, is as powerful today as it was in 1936.
Cable Street centres around Sammy, Mairead and Ron in October of 1936 in the heart of London’s East End. They’re carving out their own futures on Cable Street when Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists (Blackshirts) start to march on East London. Half a million Jews, Irish workers, trade unions, the labour and communist parties, women and children unite to blockade the road they all call home. As the people raise their voices and take a united stand against hatred, the lives of the streets’ residents are changed forever.
As our three young protagonists, Danny Colligan, Sha Dessi and Joshua Ginsberg all give incredible performances throughout. Danny Colligan’s characterisation of the troubled and confused Ron Williams is extremely engaging and his smooth voice impresses during a second act eleven o’clock number. Sha Dessi’s performance as the young Mairaid Kenny is stunning. Her powerful vocal immediately mesmerizes and continues to deliver throughout the musical. As her love interest Sammy Scheinberg, Joshua Ginsberg displays considerable talent as he raps his way through the musical guiding the audience and commenting on action. The remaining eight cast members play multiple roles throughout, changing costumes and characters throughout scenes. All three families of Ron, Mairaid and Sammy are represented as are the police, newspaper headlines and the BFU. Each character played is instantly recognisable and played to perfection with different accents and physicality’s. A tour de-force performance by the entire cast!
Alex Kanefsky’s book for Cable Street is very well drawn. Containing diverse and detailed characters facing domestic drama, romance, depression as well as the historical elements on display, Kanefsky has created a wonderfully moving tapestry. Just like the diverse people of London displayed in the story, Tim Gilvin’s music for Cable Street is an electric mix of soaring harmonies, traditional Jewish hymns, rap, ballads and rock music. With a small band of keyboard, bass, drums and onstage guitars and violins; Cable Street’s eclectic style of music is underscored by an electric beat that holds everything together. Adam Lenson’s direction is absolutely wonderful throughout. With such a sweeping story and multiple characters to portray, Lenson delivers a crystal clear narrative. Lenson’s expert direction sees actors switching characters within scenes or even within lines, intimate scenes seem to embrace the audience just as much as the sweeping bloody battle scenes which had the audience on the edge of their seat throughout.
Cable Street at the Southwark Playhouse is an extremely exhilarating production and sets the bar for new British musical theatre very high. While the run at the Southwark is completely sold out, with performances so well received and a book, music and direction this well executed, I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of this electrifying new musical.
Reviewed by Stuart James
