| What: The Fifth Step by David Ireland When: September 3-26, 2026 Where: The Baxter Studio Theatre, Cape Town Director: Charmaine Weir-Smith Performers: Albert Pretorius and Lyle October Set and lighting design: Wolf Britz Bookings: Webtickets |
David Ireland’s acclaimed play The Fifth Step was first staged in August 2024 at the Edinburgh Festival and was on from May 2025 to July 2025 on London’s West End. It is wonderful that we are seeing this new play, so soon in South Africa. It is on at the Baxter in the Studio, September 3 to 26 September 2026, directed by Charmaine Weir-Smith with design by Wolf Britz. The two hander stars multi award winning Albert Pretorius and Lyle October.
The narrative follows, an AA veteran (Pretorius) who has managed to stay clean for years. He takes on the responsibility of mentoring a volatile newcomer, Luka (October)
It starts off as a circle of chairs for an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, with posters of affirmation, stuck on the walls. The circle is broken as Luka asks James to be his sponsor – to mentor him through the 12 steps of AA. The fifth step of the title refers to the step which is a prompt to write down in details and examine all the issues around guilt, shame and what one has done which have brought havoc to people’s lives. It is a deep audit and accountability of one’s life, in a space where there is no judgement. Ireland has mentioned interviews, that the whole play is his fifth step. He overindulged in whiskey from the age of 14, and eventually started to attend AA meetings.
I attended the opening performance of The Fifth Step. There was a rapturous ovation, followed by overwhelming rave reviews. I have been asked why I have not put up a review. I have huge respect and admiration for the actors, director and creative team, but I have reservations about the play and the production, which localises the narrative and characters in a South African setting, Ireland’s play is set in Glasgow, Scotland. The production at the Baxter is set in Cape Town. Yes, at the core, it is a universal story. Substance abuse is worldwide. AA meetings are facilitated in community spaces, all over the world, There are mentors and mentees. Ireland sets up shifting balances of power in the relationships which makes for gripping viewing. But, for me by localising and “translating” it to a an older white man preaching to a young Coloured man, that comes across as patronising. For me, it felt creepy, with Lyle October’s Luka giving off vibes of cringe, of squirming.
I watched sequences online and the cadence of the Scottish burr – “or-kay” – okay – for example – landed with a cadence and rhythm which heightened the duel between the two men. The sermonising is balanced by the burr and ping of the Scottish accents. In the Cape Town rendition, it lands for me, as being a class and race thing and yeah, I feel that is creepy and uncomfortable – and not in a good way.
The play tackles male toxicity, substance abuse and the lack of holding space to engage and have difficult and important conversations – in a safe space of theatre. But the site of the interaction, conversation, did not work for me. To reiterate, I have immense respect for the team. The performances are superb. I wrote about the production in detail, but held back from publishing as I am mindful of the tremendous care that has gone into crafting this production. That is my perspective. It is subjective.
✳ Lyle October and Albert Pretorius in The Fifth Step by David Ireland, Baxter Studio Theatre, Cape Town, September 3-26, 2026, directed by Charmaine Weir-Smith with design by Wolf Britz. Photo: Fiona MacPherson. Supplied.
