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.
Entertainment
It Ends With Us star Justin Baldoni sues New York Times for libel over Blake Lively harassment allegations
Actor and director Justin Baldoni has sued The New York Times newspaper for libel after it published allegations that he had sexually harassed and tried to smear the reputation of his It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively.
The lawsuit, which seeks at least $250m (£199m) in damages, was the latest in a legal battle that has engulfed the two stars. Lively has filed a separate federal lawsuit against Baldoni and others alleging harassment.
The Baldoni lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday by the director, 40, and by other defendants named in the Lively lawsuit.
It accuses The New York Times of accepting a “self-serving narrative” by the actress, 37, who claimed Baldoni, production company Wayfarer Studios and others attempted to damage her reputation after she and her husband Ryan Reynolds, 48, addressed “repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behaviour” by the actor and a producer on the set of the film.
According to Lively’s complaint, the plan included a proposal to plant theories on online message boards, engineer a social media campaign and place news stories that are critical of her.
But Baldoni’s libel lawsuit claims The Times article, which was called ‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine, “disregard[s] an abundance of evidence” that contradicts Lively’s accusations.
Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds at the premiere of It Ends With Us. Pic: AP
The Times has defended its reporting and said it plans to “vigorously defend” against the lawsuit.
In a statement, it said: “The role of an independent news organisation is to follow the facts where they lead.
“Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article.”
Baldoni was dropped by his agency, WME, immediately after Lively filed her complaint and The Times published its story. The agency represents both Lively and Reynolds.
Bryan Freedman, a lawyer who represents Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and its representatives, previously called the accusations “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media”.
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Why is Blake Lively suing Justin Baldoni?
He said on Wednesday that The Times had “aided and abetted their own devastating PR smear campaign designed to revitalise Lively’s self-induced floundering public image and counter the organic groundswell of criticism amongst the online public”.
Lively is not a defendant in the libel lawsuit against the paper.
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In a statement, lawyers representing the actress said: “Nothing in this lawsuit changes anything about the claims advanced in Ms Lively’s California Civil Rights Department Complaint, nor her federal complaint, filed earlier today.”
It Ends With Us, which is an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling 2016 novel, was shrouded by speculation over discord between the lead pair at the time of its release in August.
Baldoni took a backseat in promoting the film while Lively took centre stage along with Reynolds, who was on the press circuit for Deadpool & Wolverine at the same time.
Neil Young has announced he will not be performing at this year’s Glastonbury, saying he believes the BBC’s involvement in the popular festival means it is “now under corporate control”.
The 79-year-old musician wrote on his website that both he and his band, The Chrome Hearts, were pulling out because it was a “corporate turn-off”.
Glastonbury, which takes place at Worthy Farm in Somerset in summer, has worked closely with the BBC since 1997.
The BBC is the festival’s exclusive broadcast partner.
Canadian-born Young had yet to be announced as an act at this year’s event.
Posting on Neil Young Archives, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer wrote: “The Chrome Hearts and I were looking forward to playing Glastonbury, one of my all-time favourite outdoor gigs.
“We were told that BBC was now a partner in Glastonbury and wanted us to do a lot of things in a way we were not interested in.
“It seems Glastonbury is now under corporate control and is not the way I remember it being.”
Young performing at Glastonbury in 2009. Pic: PA
Young, who headlined the famous Pyramid Stage in 2009, thanked fans for supporting both him and his band the last time they were at the festival.
He added: “We will not be playing Glastonbury on this tour because it is a corporate turn-off, and not for me like it used to be.
“Hope to see you at one of the other venues on the tour.”
Young, who is married to US actress Daryl Hannah, was booked to play Glastonbury in 1997 but pulled out after cutting his left index finger while making a ham sandwich.
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Following his headline performance in 2009, viewers were left disappointed when only a portion of his set was broadcast on the BBC.
In a statement at the time, the corporation said it had “spent the last couple of months” negotiating with Young’s management over what it could show on TV, radio and online.
The broadcaster added: “Neil Young’s career has been conducted on his own terms.
“Last night Neil’s management agreed to let TV and radio broadcast five songs as they watched and listened to his performance.
“They believe in the live event and retaining its mystery and that of their artist.
“They have decided to make one song available online over the weekend to give a flavour of his set. That’s Rockin’ In The Free World and that’s their decision.”
Glastonbury is one of the UK’s largest music festivals.
It is set to take place between 25 and 29 June, with Sir Rod Stewart booked for the Sunday teatime legend slot.
The BBC and Glastonbury Festival were contacted for comment.
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