If you ever needed proof that history repeats itself, look no further than the new Off-Broadway musical Cable Street currently tearing up the stage at 59E59 Theaters. It’s based on a true event in London’s East End, likely unfamiliar to American audiences, but the political and social upheaval at the center of it is sadly all too familiar to us at home.
The musical’s mundane title belies a monumental effort in its ambition and scope. With a cast of 13 playing dozens of characters in multiple roles on a tiny stage, this extraordinary company has recreated a piece of British history with clarity, emotional depth and artful ingenuity to spare.
Having said all that, the experience would be greatly enhanced by some prior research. Or at least take a look at the program note before curtain. The show – written, composed and directed by Brits – originated in the UK where audiences were assumed to have some working knowledge of the story.
It begins in the present day as a tour guide (Jez Unwin) welcomes visitors to East London which has become a vibrant and diverse residential community. We learn a bit of its history before the story takes us back to 1936 when the region was populated by immigrants mostly of Irish and Jewish descent scraping by in crowded alleys and tenements. Jobs are scarce and it becomes “every man for himself” as the ethnic groups, competing for the few jobs in the dock yards and family-run shops, are barely able to survive day to day.
The narrative focuses on three young people and their families: Sammy (Isaac Gryn), who’s Jewish; Ron (Barney Wilkinson), an unemployed Englishman from Lancashire; and Mairead (Aoife MacNamara, understudying in the performance I saw) who’s Irish. Sammy is a scrappy boxer who’ll do anything for a job. Mairead, a gifted poet, works in a Jewish bakery and preaches common ground, singing “We’re all English now…” Ron, the native countryman, resents the “outsiders” moving in on his home turf.
Ron is ripe for the anti-semitic fascists spewing their doctrine of hate and division. Their mantra: “With enough pressure, everyone starts to crack.” It doesn’t take long before they whip up the community, preying on their distrust of one another. Sound familiar?
On the other side are the Communists who attempt to unify the disparate groups with their pro-worker message: “One solution, revolution” while, hoping to gather support for their fight in Spain.
Sammy and Mairead join the cause against the jackbooted fascists led by Oswald Mosley who’s planned an “invasion” of the town. On October 4, the Battle of Cable Street commences as the two sides clash violently. The anti-fascists build barricades and throw broken glass on the ground to keep the horseback riding invaders out.
Director Adam Lenson deserves kudos simply for traffic control, coordinating his 13 member cast plus 3 musicians on the cramped playing space. The book by Alex Kanefsky is complicated in both style and detail requiring actors to instantly transform from one character to another. In lesser hands, this would be mass chaos, but incredibly, thanks to very strong performances and a deft directorial hand, the story plays out in compelling fashion.
The creative team found inspiration in the work of some of our best musical talents. There are rap numbers, bringing to mind Hamilton; and satirical interludes echo both Hamilton and Chicago as actors wear billboards that carry headlines from different newspapers reflecting their political leanings. There are also choreographic elements resembling the synchronized movements in Evita.
Tim Gilvin, credited with both music and lyrics, contributes a terrific eclectic score with a mix of musical genres from rock and rap to traditional show tunes and beautiful ballads. His lyrics not only propel the story, they cut to the heart of the characters yearnings and motivations. Especially moving is “Stranger/Sister”, a song about acceptance, and another entitled “Only Words” sung by Sammy’s father, Yitzhak, pleading for restraint.
Jez Unwin is a standout. As convincing as he is playing a wise and loving Jewish father he is equally believable as Mick, the beastly anti-semitic leader of the local fascists.
I also have to single out the immensely talented Isaac Gryn as the headstrong Sammy. His versatility seems to have no limit – singing, rapping, dancing, even his stage fighting is impressively authentic. When he turns on his father, saying “stay here with your ancient words while the world burns,” it’s a searing manifesto for us all to heed.
Every member of this company deserves a shoutout. They’re all gifted singers and it’s a thrill watching them distinguish their multiple roles with little more than a prop or a hat.
The overlapping dialogue and regional accents are not always easy to understand, and the cultural references can seem obscure on this side of the pond. But there is much to applaud in this bold and entertaining work. And if there’s no other takeaway, Cable Street is about the awesome power of collective resistance. It’s a history lesson, forgotten time and time again, that we can no longer afford to ignore.
Cable Street opened May 3, 2026, at 59E59 and runs through May 24. Tickets and information: 59e59.org
