Off-Broadway Review: The Effect

(L-R) Carter Hudson and Susannah Flood in a scene from Lucy Prebble's "The Effect" directed by David Cromer at the Barrow Street Theatre (photo by Matthew Murphy).

‘How Are We Feeling Today?’ is a Loaded Question in This Play

By Lauren Yarger
You know that feeling you get when you’re in love? Well what if you felt that way, but weren’t sure whether it was real or drug induced?

So begins the questioning in Lucy Prebble’s provocative play The Effect Off-Broadway, directed by David Cromer at the Barrow Street Theatre. This latest from the playwright, who explored ethics in the world of finance in Enron, tackles questions human drama – and chemistry – in The Effect.

Connie Hall (Susannah Flood) and Tristan Frey (Carter Hudson) are test subjects in a study for a new antidepressant drug. They willingly throw back increasing doses of pills and agree not to use cell phones or engage in sexual activity for the duration of the trial while they are observed and questioned about their moods and physical side effects by Dr. Lorna James (Kati Brazda).

Because the antidepressant attributes of the drug stimulate the same area of the brain that produces sexual pheromones, one of the side effects seems to be an increasing sexual attraction between the two subjects. They start breaking all the rules -- sometimes very explicitly, so be warned -- texting each other, meeting on their own, and eventually engaging in sex as the attraction becomes stronger.

Dr. James finds out and warns them to stop, but doesn’t take them out of the study, raising some ethics issues. She has some issues of her own, including a questionable past with colleague Dr. Toby Sealey (Steve Key), the shadows of their relationship visually depicted by Lighting Designer Tyler Micoleau on Marsha Ginsberg’s cold, clinical set. Sealey spends some of his time talking up drug company Raushen, bringing up some conflict-of-interest issues.

Meanwhile, as the effect of the experimental drug escalates, we discover that only one of the test subjects is getting the drug while the other is receiving a placebo making it impossible to know whose feelings are genuine. Dr. James sacrifices the future of her subjects in favor of ephemeral results, but the experiment brings horrifying, long-term consequences.

The performances are intense with tight direction. Questions are raised, but answers often are left to the audience to ponder. What brings happiness and what are we willing to sacrifice to get it? Can we ever really know the extent of someone else’s feelings or our own?

One thing we can know for sure is that our brains have been teased by this play, which premiered in London, and that we feel a bit unsettled by the effect.

The Effect continues through June 19 at the Barrown Street Theatre, 27 Barrow St., NYC. Perfoomances are Tuesday through Friday at 7:30 pm; Saturday at 2:30 and 7:30 pm; Sunday at 2:30 and 7:30 pm. Tickets are $59.50 - $99.50: barrowstreettheatre­.com.

Additional Credits:

Costume Design by Sarah Laux, Sound Design by Erik T. Lawson, Projection Design by Maya Ciarrocchi, Original Music by Daniel Kluger, Properties Design by Carrie Mossman, Fight Direction by, J. David Brimmer.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY FACTORS:

-- God's name taken in vain

-- Language

-- Sexual activity

-- Nudity

-- Sexual dialogue