There’s a particular pleasure in watching two seasoned actors navigate the moral ambiguities of a tightly crafted two-hander—and David Ireland’s The Fifth Step makes the most of that form. The play takes its name from a pivotal stage in the Alcoholics Anonymous programme — the moment when a recovering alcoholic confesses “the exact nature of their wrongs” to God (as they understand Him), to themselves, and to another human being.
Martin Freeman plays James, a man with 25 years of sobriety who appears calm, reflective, and firmly anchored in his recovery. He becomes a sponsor to Luka (Jack Lowden), a younger Glaswegian just beginning the process and struggling with the spiritual, emotional, and moral strictures of AA.
The 90-minute play unfolds across five scenes, spanning about a year, and runs straight through without an interval. Under Finn den Hertog’s lean, precise direction, the play is on one hand a wry comedy that gradually deepens into a more searching meditation on trust, power, and the messiness of human exchange. Despite James’s avuncular guidance, it soon becomes clear that he is not the unimpeachable figure he first appears to be—and Luka, wary and sharp-eyed, begins to discover himself and therein challenge the construct of their relationship.
Lowden’s Luka is all fidgets and barely contained energy, a man using banter and compulsive motion in an attempt to quell the gnawing cravings for a drink. Whether rubbing his beard, pacing the space, or jittering his knees, Lowden conveys a restless discomfort that’s both comic and poignant. Freeman’s James projects an air of stability and experience, but as Luka begins to grasp more of the programme—and more of James—the balance between them shifts.
The two command the square stage, bordered on all four sides by the audience. The set is simple: a few tables and chairs, a heap of coffee cups, and countless tea bags. A running joke about the spiritual potential of a paper cup—possibly God, possibly not—threads through the piece and lands beautifully in the play’s final moment
The Fifth Step is an engrossing, funny, and thoughtful piece of theatre that isn’t afraid to ask big questions. With two terrific performances and a script that keeps you leaning in, it’s well worth seeing.
The Fifth Step
By: David Ireland
Director: Finn den Hertog
Photo Credit: J0han Persson
Set and Costume Design: Milla Clarke
Cast: Jack Lowden, Martin Freeman
Until: 26 July
Running Time: 85 minutes, without interval
Reviewed by: Wilder Gutterson
23 July 2025