Best theatre to stream this month includes The Fifth Step and A Streetcar Named Desire

This month's recommended streamed theatre includes David Ireland's The Fifth Step, a two-hander starring Jack Lowden and Martin Freeman, alongside a streamed production of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire featuring Gillian Anderson.

The Fifth Step centres on a recovering addict within the Alcoholics Anonymous programme, drawing its title from the twelfth step process in which participants confess their past wrongs to a sponsor. The play uses that confessional structure as the basis for an intense, often darkly humorous exchange between its two characters, played by Lowden and Freeman.

Reviewers highlight the chemistry between the two leads as central to the production's success, noting the way the piece balances moments of genuine vulnerability with Ireland's characteristically sharp and unpredictable dialogue. The format, built entirely around a single extended conversation, places heavy demands on both performers.

Gillian Anderson's turn in A Streetcar Named Desire has also drawn praise from critics for its intensity, continuing a long tradition of prominent actors tackling Tennessee Williams' classic portrait of psychological and domestic tension in the American South.

Additionally, a series of audio dramas by writer Winsome Pinnock has been singled out as a notable addition to this month's streaming recommendations, offering a different format for audiences seeking theatrical storytelling beyond filmed stage productions. Together, the selections reflect a range of formats, from filmed stage plays to audio-only drama, aimed at theatre audiences unable to attend in person.