The Effect

The Effect by Lucy Prebble is a vibrant and high-energy exploration of connection, control, and the blurred line between chemical and emotional truth. In a clinical drug trial testing a new antidepressant, two young volunteers, Tristan and Connie, discover an irresistible attraction. But are their feelings real, or just side effects of the drug?

Caught between laughter, desire, and fear, The Effect becomes a thrilling experiment in what makes us human. As the clinicians wrestle with the ethics of the trial, we are drawn into the same question that drives the play’s electric core: can you ever separate the mind from the heart?

Charged with emotion, this production captures the euphoria of new love and the chaos of trying to understand it. It invites us to experience the rush of possibility, the thrill of connection, and the fear of losing control.

Funny, intimate, and just a little bit reckless, The Effect is for anyone who’s ever wondered whether their feelings are real… or just the dopamine talking.

Lucy Prebble’s play, The Effect, has received critical acclaim and won several awards. Premiering at the National Theatre in London in 2012, it won the UK Critics; Circle Award for Best New Play. It has also received nominations in the 2024 Laurence Olivier Awards and Drama League Awards for Best Revival of a Play.

“Philip Hayden is a marvelous cross between Daniel Day-Lewis and Rupert Everett.”

– Time Out

"Jessica Martin is a powerhouse actor whose energy radiates every moment she is on stage."

- What Did She Think?

"Emma Choy is the standout"

- Keith Gow

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Host or Publisher Theatre Works