Cable Street: Musical tells story of rise of fascism that is relevant today
Cable Street tells the story of migrant communities rallying to stop fascists marching through the streets of London – for the show’s creators the themes are just as relevant today.
Song and dance might not be the usual way to talk about the rise of fascism, but the musical Cable Street tells the story of migrant communities joining together to stop the British Union of Fascists from marching through the predominantly Jewish part of east London in 1936.
And nearly 90 years later, director Adam Lenson says it still resonates.
Director Adam Lenson
“The writers started writing this in 2019. And I think what they were aware of was that the world was tilting to the right, that actually far-right leaders were gaining power in countries all over the world,” he tells Sky News.
The musical is based on the battle of Cable Street in 1936.
On 4 October, the British Union of Fascists, led by Nazi sympathiser Sir Oswald Mosley tried to march through the predominantly Jewish part of east London.
The violent group, also known as the Blackshirts, was met by thousands of local people from different communities coming together to block their march.
Eyewitnesses from the time describe “Jews and Orthodox Jews in their long silk coats and felt hats standing shoulder to shoulder with Irish Catholics, dockers, Somali seamen, communists, and trade unionists”.
Some estimates say up to half a million people came together to counter-protest, creating blockades and stopping the Blackshirts from passing through to Cable Street.
It is widely considered a triumph over fascism.
“Cable Street for me is about communities coming together to stand up against a common enemy, which is the fascists in 1936,” actor Danny Colligan says.
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Danny Colligan
The cast of Cable Street rehearsing
For him, the production is an opportunity for people to learn about history.
“I think using musicals, singing, acting and dancing to make it a little bit more entertaining so that people go ‘I like that, that was fun, now I want to go on Google and research and find out these things’,” he adds.
Almost nine decades later, for some people, history is repeating itself.
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In August this year anti-racist organisers, led in large part by the groups Stand Up To Racism and Hope Not Hate, mobilised to counteract the far-right demonstrations that began in response to the attack in Southport that left three children dead on 29 July.
In their hundreds and sometimes thousands anti-racist demonstrators were on the streets of towns and cities including Bristol, London, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Brighton in support of those targeted by anti-immigrant riots.
“My hope is by being set in the present and the past, the piece will show an audience that actually this sort of activism, this sort of community action, isn’t something that belongs in a museum. It’s something that belongs in the here and now,” Lenson says.
Just like with the battle of Cable Street in 1936 concerns about migration, the economy, and housing continue to cause clashes today.
But for the Cable Street musical creators, there is hope that with some song and dance, audiences will be reminded they are better off standing together.
Cable Street is on at the Southwark Playhouse Borough until 16 March.
Russell Brand has been charged with rape and two counts of sexual assault between 1999 and 2005.
The Metropolitan Police say the 50-year-old comedian, actor and author has also been charged with one count of oral rape and one count of indecent assault.
The charges relate to four women.
He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 2 May.
Police have said Brand is accused of raping a woman in the Bournemouth area in 1999 and indecently assaulting a woman in the Westminster area of London in 2001.
He is also accused of orally raping and sexually assaulting a woman in Westminster in 2004.
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Ashna Hurynag discusses Russell Brand’s charges
The fourth charge alleges that a woman was sexually assaulted in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.
Police began investigating Brand, from Oxfordshire, in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations.
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The comedian has denied the accusations and said he has “never engaged in non-consensual activity”.
He added in a video on X: “Of course, I am now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”
Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.
“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.”
Tom Cruise has paid tribute to Val Kilmer, wishing his Top Gun co-star “well on the next journey”.
Cruise, speaking at the CinemaCon film event in Las Vegas on Thursday, asked for a moment’s silence to reflect on the “wonderful” times shared with the star, whom he called a “dear friend”.
Kilmer, who died of pneumonia on Tuesday aged 65, rocketed to fame starring alongside Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, playing Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, a rival fighter pilot to Cruise’s character Maverick.
Tom Cruise said ‘I wish you well on the next journey’. Pic: AP
Val Kilmer in 2017. Pic: AP
His last part was a cameo role in the 2022 blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick.
Cruise, on stage at Caesars Palace on Thursday, said: “I’d like to honour a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer. I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honoured I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick.
“I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us. Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.
“I wish you well on the next journey.”
The moment of silence followed a string of tributes from Hollywood figures including Cher, Francis Ford Coppola, Antonio Banderas and Michelle Monaghan.
Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes told the New York Times on Wednesday that the actor had died from pneumonia.
Tom Cruise at Caesars Palace on Thursday. Pic: AP
Diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, Kilmer discussed his illness and recovery in his 2020 memoir Your Huckleberry and Amazon Prime documentary Val.
He underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments for the disease and also had a tracheostomy which damaged his vocal cords and permanently gave him a raspy speaking voice.
Kilmer played Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever and received critical acclaim for his portrayal of rock singer Jim Morrison in the 1991 movie The Doors.
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He also starred in True Romance and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, as well as playing criminal Chris Shiherlis in Michael Mann’s 1995 movie Heat and Doc Holliday in the 1993 film Tombstone.
In 1988 he married British actress Joanne Whalley, whom he met while working on fantasy adventure Willow.
The couple had two children before divorcing in 1996.
Bruce Springsteen is to release seven albums of mostly unheard material this summer.
The US singer said the songs, written and re-recorded between 1983 and 2018, were being made public after he began completing “everything I had in my vault” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a short video posted on Instagram, Springsteen said the albums were “records that were full records, some of them even to the point of being mixed and not released”.
The 83-song collection is being released in a box set called Tracks II: The Lost Albums and goes on sale on 27 June.
Some 74 of the tracks have never been heard before.
Springsteen first teased the release on Wednesday morning with a short social media video accompanied by text which said: “What was lost has been found”.
Tracks II is the follow-up to the star’s first Tracks volume, a four-CD collection of 66 unreleased songs, released in 1998.
Bruce Springsteen at New York’s Carnegie Hall at a tribute to Patti Smith last month. Pic: PA
The New Jersey-born rocker, nicknamed The Boss, last released a studio album in 2022.
Only the Strong Survive was a collection of covers, including songs by Motown and soul artists, such as the Four Tops, The Temptations, The Supremes, Frankie Wilson and Jimmy Ruffin.
The late soul legend Sam Moore, who died in January and was a frequent Springsteen collaborator, sang on two of the tracks.
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Springsteen is coming to the UK in May to launch a two-month tour of Europe with his E Street Band.
The shows will include performances at the Co-op Live in Manchester and Liverpool’s Anfield stadium.
The singer-songwriter has sold more than 140 million records since his debut on the music scene in 1973, according to his website.
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