The Fifth Step

Following its acclaimed world premiere at the 2024 Edinburgh International Festival, award-winning talents Jack Lowden (Olivier winner, "Slow Horses") and Martin Freeman (Emmy, BAFTA winner for "Sherlock") command the stage in this provocative exploration of addiction recovery. Originally developed as a collaboration between Ireland and the National Theatre of Scotland, this two-hander by David Ireland examines the complexities of the AA recovery process through the lens of sponsor-sponsee dynamics.

The story

New to Alcoholics Anonymous, Luka reluctantly accepts James as his sponsor – an older man who appears to have mastered the program's twelve steps. Their relationship grows increasingly complex as Luka approaches the pivotal fifth step, which demands complete honesty about one's past transgressions. Over black coffees and shared conversations, it becomes clear that both men harbor dangerous secrets that could jeopardize their journey. Get tickets to The Fifth Step in London's @sohoplace to catch the limited run now.