About the Play
THE EFFECT by Lucy Prebble is a smart, funny, and quietly devastating play about love, chemistry, and the elusive line between the two. Two young volunteers — Connie and Tristan — enroll in a clinical trial for a new antidepressant. Over the course of the study, they fall for each other. But is what they're feeling real? Or is it simply the drug taking the effect it was designed to have?
At once a sharply observed romance and a serious inquiry into the science of the human brain, THE EFFECT asks whether the chemicals in our heads can ever really explain the way we love — and whether knowing the answer would change anything at all.
A Modern Classic
Written by Lucy Prebble (Enron, Succession) and originally produced by the National Theatre in London, THE EFFECT has been widely praised for its wit, its intelligence, and its unflinching honesty about mental health. It is one of the most important plays of the last decade — a piece that treats its characters with genuine complexity and refuses easy answers.
"A blistering, beautiful play that asks whether we can ever really trust our own feelings — and whether it matters if we can't." — Critical Praise for THE EFFECT
A Note on Content
This production deals openly with themes of depression, mental illness, and pharmaceutical trials. It includes intense emotional scenes and strong language. We recommend it for audiences 16 and older. Support resources will be shared with audiences after each performance.
The Creative Team
THE EFFECT is directed by faculty and guest artists of Theatre of Arts Creative Lab, with a cast drawn from our professional community and alumni network. Full cast and crew credits will be announced closer to opening night.