Review: THE FIFTH STEP, @sohoplace
Photo credit: Johan Persson
Luka is new to the Alcoholics Anonymous programme and is battling with working through the twelve steps…at least he’s got a sponsor, James, who has been sober for twenty five years. As they slowly build up a friendship and learn to trust each other, new truths come to light which could put this relationship and their recoveries in jeopardy.
The show, which is Jack Lowden’s return to stage having not performed in a play since 2018, made its debut at Edinburgh Fringe last year to great acclaim. The current run at @sohoplace marks its official London debut.
The stage itself is simple. Fold down chairs are placed in a circle and props including cups, weights etc are carefully hidden beneath the edge of this in-the-round space. This bare-bones effect is really effective because it allows nothing to detract from the raw performances of the actors on stage. It puts them in a position of vulnerability due to the fact that they are surrounded by the audience, allowing the directing and writing to really shine through.
We came in anticipating that the cast would be strong; what we didn’t expect was how well suited the material would be to their specific acting talents. This show is definitely one which doesn’t use big name actors for the sake of it.
Martin Freeman, who plays James, portrays a nuanced and multi-layered teacher-like figure. Everything from his vocal tone and pace to the way he sits on the fold down chairs gives an essence of openness without his character being as open as he claims. This is particularly effective because it allows us to buy into what James is saying without questioning it too much. He’s misleading but we are still drawn in by his authoritative, straight-forward and sharp nature.
Additionally, Freeman does have us questioning our own preconceptions and media stereotypes about ‘what an alcoholic looks like’, which is what makes his performance particularly memorable. He challenges us to think but takes control of our focus in the moment.
Jack Lowden, who plays Luka, makes the perfect foil to Freeman’s characterisation of James. Lowden’s portrayal can be challenging to watch at times, with the brutish masculinity he lays out on stage. Yet this is also to our benefit as we are allowed to watch Luka grow and develop to unlearn this stereotypical toxic masculinity that he has grown up with. He almost directly opposes Freeman at points, with his physicality starting more closed off and gradually getting more and more open as Luka works the steps and learns how to actually talk, albeit honestly, about how he’s really feeling.
Lowden’s characterisation also highlights the age gap between the characters, meaning that we are able to see how certain ideas about what masculinity is is passed down and questioned. He creates a performance which feels more grounded and vulnerable yet guarded, creating a sense that Luka is afraid of getting hurt again, thus making us, as the audience, empathise with him and root for him to keep working the steps.
It must be said that playwright David Ireland has done a phenomenal job with this script. It feels fresh and has a palpable tension to it. It is surprisingly well humoured and we ended up laughing more than we anticipated, especially with one of the first lines of the show being “I think I might be an incel”. This cleverly sets up the tone and introduces the themes from the outset, meaning that we are led into a false sense of security. Yes, we know that with the setting and given circumstances of the show to expect some level of seriousness, but the shift is so gradual that it sets up the perfect twist and snaps us to attention when we least expect.
It’s so captivating to watch and it really does have a lot to say about the vitality of men being vulnerable and honest with each other. It argues that this kind of openness not only saves lives but significantly changes them for the better, even if it means a potential, temporary setback or a change in how relationships, platonic or otherwise, work. It feels particularly immediate with the ongoing crisis of masculinity and the loneliness epidemic. We think that this show fundamentally tries to convey a message to everyone about the life-changing power of real human connection, of letting people in, letting people care and encouraging this, with healthy boundaries, to be mutual.
Gritty, well-humoured and relevant, this show has a strong beating heart, full of intense tension and cathartic moments of release.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Megan O’Neill
The Fifth Step plays at @sohoplace until 26 July, with tickets available here.
