The Athens Concert Hall, known as Megaron, hosts one of the most compelling recent productions of British theatre on Thursday, January 15, at 20:00, with the screening of The Fifth Step by David Ireland, presented as part of the National Theatre Live programme.

National Theatre Live is an international initiative that records landmark theatre productions from Britain’s most prestigious stages and broadcasts them to cinemas and cultural venues across the globe. Through this collaboration, audiences in Athens can experience acclaimed West End performances without leaving the city.

Credit: Johan Persson

Written by award-winning playwright David Ireland, The Fifth Step is a sharply observed and emotionally resonant play that examines addiction, male friendship and personal vulnerability. At its centre are two men navigating recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous: James, a former alcoholic, and Luka, who is following the 12-step programme under James’s mentorship. As their bond deepens through shared stories and routines, the approach of step five — the act of confession — brings unsettling truths to the surface, placing their fragile trust at risk.

The production stars Jack Lowden (Laurence Olivier Award winner; Slow Horses, Dunkirk) and Martin Freeman (Emmy and BAFTA winner; The Hobbit, The Responder) in performances that have drawn widespread critical acclaim for their intensity and nuance.

Directed by Finn den Hertog, the play was filmed live at Soho Place on London’s West End. It is screened in English with Greek subtitles, as part of a collaboration between the Athens Concert Hall, the British Council in Greece and the British Embassy in Athens.

The Fifth Step is the featured National Theatre Live screening for January at the Megaron. February’s programme will continue with Shakespeare’s Hamlet, for which pre-sales have already begun.

A limited number of tickets remain available for The Fifth Step here.