Stepping into the Border of Redemption and Regression: Reviewing 'The Fifth Step' at @sohoplace

★★★ | The Fifth Step, written by David Ireland and directed by Finn Den Hertog, is a taut two-hander that gradually unravels the fragile boundaries between redemption, self-perception, and moral ambiguity. It charts the relationship between Luka (Jack Lowden), a man in the early stages of recovery from alcoholism, and James (Martin Freeman), his composed and seemingly altruistic Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor. The play opens with Luka defeated and disoriented, and James stepping into the role of mentor – patient, rational, and gently persuasive – before their exchanges take a darker, more unpredictable turn.

At its core, the play poses a deceptively simple but profound question: What does it mean to truly be ourselves? Through a series of sharp and often disorienting conversations, both characters emerge as unreliable narrators – slipping in and out of their own narratives, revising, withholding, and confronting uncomfortable truths. Early on, James doubts Luka’s sincerity in pursuing recovery. But as the play progresses, that suspicion reverses its course: Luka begins to peel back James’s carefully curated persona, probing his motivations and exposing the cracks beneath his composed exterior.

Martin Freeman and Jack Lowden in The Fifth Step. Photo Credit: Johan Persson.

This escalating tension reaches a disturbing crescendo when Luka’s confessions result in a physical altercation – a shocking reversal that forces us to re-evaluate our moral sympathies. Both men are, in their own ways, attempting to heal: Luka through the A.A. process, and James by mentoring someone who resembles a younger, more troubled version of himself. Yet The Fifth Step refuses easy redemptive arcs. Instead, it shows how tenuous our sense of moral self-worth can be – how easily we oscillate between rationalising our wrongdoing, measuring ourselves against others, and feeling embittered by shame.

Yet despite these compelling themes, the play ultimately falters. Ireland’s script, while laced with wry humour, never fully capitalises on the moral weight it gestures towards. Early conversations feel slow and meandering, and while James eventually reveals that he was a victim of his own sponsor’s sexual misconduct, the revelation feels abrupt, more shocking than grounded. As a result, the climactic confrontation, which hinges on this disclosure, doesn’t land with the emotional force it should.

Despite this, both Lowden and Freeman do the best with the material they’re given, navigating their characters’ psychological spirals with intensity. Lighting designer Lizzie Powell amplifies the unease with stark contrasts, sometimes plunging the audience into darkness, which closely mirrors the characters’ volatility and heightens the play’s claustrophobic atmosphere. Overall, despite a few stumbles from time to time, the play is worth a watch.

★★★

The Fifth Step plays at @sohoplace until 26 July.