The Fifth Step Tickets

Martin Freeman is back in the West End alongside Jack Lowden in a compelling production centred around an Alcoholics Anonymous group. This funny, brutally honest, high-impact exploration of addiction, masculinity and faith has already thrilled audiences in Scotland, now it's in the capital.

About The Fifth Step

Freeman plays James and Lowden plays newcomer Luka. The two characters' relationship grows steadily over plenty of strong black coffee as they bond through steps one to four: honesty, faith, surrender and self-examination. But when they arrive at the fifth step – confession – it turns out that James has just as many deep, dark secrets as the man he's sponsoring. Can they still trust each other or will everything fall apart?

Produced by Neal Street, Playful Productions, and National Theatre Scotland, The Fifth Step premiered at Dundee Rep for a one-night performance before transferring to the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Following a limited run in Glasgow, the production received widespread critical acclaim during its Edinburgh run. It is now set to transfer to @sohoplace in the West End, where it will open for a limited engagement in May 2025.

The Fifth Step cast and creatives

Jack Lowden reprises his role as Luka, a BAFTA Scotland and Olivier Award winning actor known for his work in Slow Horses on Apple TV. He won his Olivier award in 2013 for Richard Eyre's adaptation of Ibsen's Ghosts and has appeared in the movies Dunkirk, Calibre, and Mary Queen Of Scots. Martin Freeman is an Emmy and BAFTA award winner with hits like Fargo, Sherlock, Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit, and The Office under his belt. He won a 2011 TV BAFTA for his role as Dr John Watson in the BBC series Sherlock.

The play is written by David Ireland. It is Directed by Finn den Hertog with Set and Costume Design by Milla Clarke, Lighting Design by Lizzie Powell, Sound Design by Mark Melville, Movement by Jenny Ogilvie and Casting by Stuart Burt CDG. The Fifth Step is produced by Neal Street Productions, Playful Productions and National Theatre of Scotland in association with Nica Burns.

The Fifth Step is a funny, unflinching, honest drama about addiction, masculinity and faith. It heads to the West End for a limited run in Spring 2025.