Slow horses Jack Lowden says it’s a “relief” to be back on stage in the gritty role at the end of the west end.
David Ireland first starred in the two-hander when it premiered at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2024 and he renewed his character in London earlier this year, this time opposite Martin Freeman. “It’s always a relief to be on stage,” said Humbly. “I was never comfortable with everything on camera.” He continued:
Lowden’s films include Mary Queen of Scots (2018) with Saoirse Ronan, whom he later married, and Blessings (2021), as war beat Siegfried Sassoon. On TV, he is best known for appearing alongside Gary Oldman in Slow Horse, based on Mick Herron’s spy investigation. Lowden spoke alongside Ireland and Director Finn Den Hertog at a screening in Edinburgh of the NT live captured on the fifth step, published at @Sohoplace in London. The film was released in theaters on 27 November.
“Looking so strange – that’s the first time I’ve ever seen anything of myself on stage,” as expected in the discussion. Reflecting on his episode of the show, he quipped: “I can only apologize that I never had an ass!” The fifth step is “the best play I’ve ever done … or seen,” continues to be understated, which is because the players and director work as actors working on themselves.
In his early 20s, the humbled star of the National Theater of Scotland’s Black Watch. His stage career includes a version of Chariots of Fire, Ghost (opposite Lesley Manville) and Electra (with Kristin Scott Thomas). The fifth step is his first play because of the scale of the Donmar Warehouse in 2018, which was started by Josie Rourke (who also directed the film Maria Queen of Scots).
Lowden explained that when he plays, “I don’t really care what the thing is about to a certain extent… I just care about the character and if the character is going to play”. The fifth step, performed by the National Theater of Scotland, is “a play written for two actors to have a night out”, he added.
His character in the fifth step is Luka, who is new to Alcoholics Anonymous and asks the elderly James (Martin Freeman) to be his sponsor. The drama unfolds on CONSENSATION In AA’s 12-step program, Luka expected to recognize the damage his addiction was doing to himself and others.
Acknowledging the serious issues raised by the dark comedy, Lowden said: “There’s no point in doing [these issues] In a game unless it is, first and foremost, fun. No one should sit in the dark for an hour and 15 minutes and not laugh. I think that robbing people of their money. “