National Theatre Live: “The 5th Step” by David Ireland at the Athens Concert Hall

The Athens Concert Hall welcomes, on Thursday 15 January at 20:00, one of the most powerful productions of contemporary British theatre, through the recorded screening of National Theatre Live: The Fifth Step by David Ireland.

The play explores with precision and sensitivity the world of male friendship, addiction, and personal vulnerability.

Two men – James, a recovering alcoholic, and Luka, who follows the 12-Step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous under James’s guidance – form a singular bond built on trust and open communication. Through everyday stories, shared experiences, and regular conversations, their friendship is put to the test when the Fifth Step – “Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs” – forces them to confront truths that are not easy to face.

The award-winning playwright David Ireland’s new work has already received strong praise for its emotional depth and dramatic precision, revealing men’s fragile sides, the intensity of human relationships, and the struggle for personal renewal. Starring in the production are Olivier Award-winning actor Jack Lowden, known from series such as Slow Horses and the film Dunkirk, alongside Emmy and BAFTA winner Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, The Responder).

The performance is broadcast as a recorded screening from Soho Place in London and will be presented in English with Greek subtitles, offering Greek audiences the opportunity to experience one of the most timely and profoundly human works of contemporary theatre.

Director: Finn den Hertog
Cast: Jack Lowden, Martin Freeman

In collaboration with the British Council in Greece and the British Embassy in Athens.