"The Fifth Step" by David Ireland takes the West End in its stride

“The Fifth Step” by David Ireland takes the West End in its stride

Peter Anderson
May 31, 2025

Step 1: honesty.

Step 2: faith.

Step 3: surrender.

Step 4: self-examination.

After many years in the 12-step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous, James agrees to become the sponsor of newcomer Luka.

On the journey to sobriety, the pair bond over black coffee, trade stories, and build a fragile friendship out of their shared experiences. On the cusp of Step 5, their conversations must turn to confessionals, with progress hinging on Luka revealing secrets that could lead back to alcohol. But it’s clear that James also has dangerous truths in his past, truths that threaten the trust on which both their recoveries depend.

David Ireland’s acclaimed new play The Fifth Step, starring Jack Lowden and Martin Freeman, is now playing at @sohoplace in the West End until 26 July. Originally performed as part of the Edinburgh International Festival 2024, this production has been further developed for this West End premiere and the new opportunities for restaging that @sohoplace offers. Directed by rising star Finn den Hertog, associate artist at National Theatre Scotland,

It is a rare chance to see two of the UK’s most exciting acting talents in the intimacy of the in-the-round space @sohoplace. Jack Lowden reprises his performance as Luka and Martin Freeman plays the role of James in David Ireland’s funny and unflinchingly honest drama about addiction, masculinity and faith. Jack Lowden is an acclaimed Scottish actor who trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He first worked with National Theatre of Scotland early in his career, when he took on the lead role of Cammy in the 2010-11 revival tour of the Olivier-award winning play Black Watch.

He has won numerous awards including BAFTA Scotland awards for Best Actor in British film Calibre and for his role as Siegfried Sassoon in Benediction, and an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor in Ghosts at The Almeida. He has been nominated for a Golden Globe, Emmy and BAFTA, and appeared in many films including Fighting With My Family, Mary Queen of Scots and Dunkirk.

Martin Freeman is an Emmy and BAFTA award-winning actor with an illustrious career spanning film, television and stage. His versatility and ability to excel in his craft, regardless of the genre, have led him to be considered as one of the industry’s most revered talents. He recently reprised his BAFTA TV ‘Leading Actor’ nominated role as police officer Chris in the critically acclaimed BBC drama The Responder for BBC, for which he won an International Emmy for Best Actor in 2024.

Martin’s stage credits include: Dumb Waiter as part of the ‘Pinter at the Pinter’ season, presented by The Jamie Lloyd Company, James Graham’s comedy Labour of Love at the Noel Coward Theatre, Jamie Lloyd’s Richard III at Trafalgar Studios, Clybourne Park and Kosher Harry at the Royal Court Theatre and Blue Eyes & Heels at the Soho Theatre.

David Ireland was born in Belfast and trained as an actor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. His first play, What the Animals Say, was produced at Oran Mor, Glasgow in 2011. He was Playwright-in-Residence at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast in 2012. He went on to win the Meyer Whitworth Award in 2012 for his second play, Everything Between Us, produced by Tinderbox Theatre Company in Belfast. In 2016 Cyprus Avenue, featuring Stephen Rea, opened at the Royal Court Theatre, London and the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, before transferring to the Public Theatre, New York. It won the Irish Times Award for Best New Play and the James Tait Black Award in 2017.

His other plays include Not Now (Oran Mor), Sadie (Lyric, Belfast) Yes So I Said Yes (Ransom Productions, Belfast), The End of Hope (Oran Mor) and Can’t Forget About You (Lyric, Belfast). His TV series, The Lovers, was broadcast on Sky Atlantic in 2023. His latest TV series, Cold Water, featuring Andrew Lincoln, is currently in post-production and will be broadcast on ITV later this year. As an actor, he is best known for playing Clare’s Dad in Derry Girls.

Finn den Hertog trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, graduating in 2007. He gained a practical directing training through the Young Vic and as a Staff Director at the National Theatre. He is Co-Artistic Director of the award-winning artist-led company Groupwork and has been an Associate Artist of National Theatre of Scotland since 2022. Alongside premiers of plays by some of the UK’s most exciting playwrights, his previous work includes devised performance, theatrical installations, audio drama and short film.

Credits include The Fifth Step (National Theatre Scotland/Edinburgh International Festival); Sunset Song (Dundee Rep/Royal Lyceum Edinburgh); The Enemy (National Theatre of Scotland); When Prophecy Fails; The Afflicted, The Hope River Girls (Groupwork) and Square Go (Francesca Moody Productions) which played two sold out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe before transferring Off-Broadway.

The Fifth Step is produced by Neal Street Productions, Playful Productions and National Theatre of Scotland in association with Nica Burns. The play will run for 11 weeks only with a final performance on 26 July 2025 at Soho place. for tickets are further information, please go to www.thefifthstep.co.uk