By Madeleine Anderson ⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

The idea for the Cable Street musical began in 2017, but it took until 2024 for London audiences to experience it on stage. The story is set in London’s East End in 1936 as Fascists organise a march on the area, resulting in the Jewish community, Irish workers and communists uniting to blockade the road they call home.

There is no doubt the topic material is powerful. However, the script and staging often needed work. At points, there seemed to be both too few and too many people on stage. Some transitions felt rushed and cluttered, while other scenes appeared sparse and lacking action. This imbalance gave the production an uneven rhythm that undermined its more impactful moments.

The performances were consistently strong, especially from Lizzy-Rose Esin Kelly as Mairead, who held her own with a confident voice and commanding stage presence. The wider cast worked hard, frequently taking on multiple roles. Yet this device occasionally detracted from the drama. A heart-wrenching moment involving Ethan Pascal Peters’ character lacked emotional weight when he reappeared almost immediately as someone else.

Jevan Howard Jones’ choreography provided some of the evening’s highlights, with several intricate and visually striking numbers. However, its use was inconsistent. Some scenes pulsed with energy and precision, while others felt under directed and static, reinforcing the sense of a production still searching for tonal clarity.

That tonal uncertainty proved the biggest stumbling block of the performance. Given its heavy and eerily timely critique of rising fascism, the show often felt too jokey, hesitant to sit in direct political criticism. The reliance on stereotyped character tropes and simplistic messaging was at times wince-making, particularly in the portrayal of Irish characters. When the second half shifted into darker territory, the change felt jarring and too late. The show might have landed more effectively had it concluded with the battle itself rather than continuing into an extended final section.

Clearly the production divides opinion. The performance I saw was sold out and received a standing ovation from some audience members while others did not return after the interval. A tighter edit of around thirty minutes would allow its strongest elements to shine.

Cable Street is running at Marylebone Theatre until Saturday 28 February.

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Photo Credit: Johan Personn