About the Show

A tale of love & ethics in a clinical drug trial, blurring the line between romance & side effects.

Connie and Tristan begin a groundbreaking clinical drug trial, where a budding romance blooms, leaving them questioning whether it's genuine or a thrilling byproduct of their new antidepressant. Ethical boundaries blur for their overseeing physicians, prompting a contemplation on the fine line between love and professional conduct.

Following its acclaimed run at London’s National Theatre last fall, this strictly limited engagement spans four weeks, promising an immersive experience not to be missed.

The Effect, penned by Emmy Award winner Lucy Prebble (HBO’s Succession) and directed by Olivier Award winner Jamie Lloyd (Cyrano de Bergerac at BAM, A Doll’s House, and Betrayal on Broadway), stars Paapa Essiedu (HBO’s I May Destroy You) and Taylor Russell (Bones and All, Netflix’s Lost in Space) as the central pair in a forbidden romance. Michele Austin (This Is Going to Hurt, Cyrano de Bergerac at BAM) and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Olivier Award winner for Tina: The Tina Turner Musical) play the doctors overseeing the trial.

Critic Reviews (10)

CRITIC'S PICK: "A soapy back story between the two psychiatrists...feels a bit contrived."
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"4/5 Stars...the actors' thrilling performances paint over the play’s flaws."
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"...its big questions about mentality versus reality are lodged in my brain."
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"Prebble’s play is genuinely engaging and smart"
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"The performances match the excitement of the stagecraft."
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"The intermission has been eliminated...much of the slang has been changed"
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so stylized and stylish that the stagecraft seems the primary point of the production.
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"...not quite able to cover up the flaws in the repetitive and confusing plot."
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Trailer

Creative team