National Theatre’s The Effect is a brilliant, captivating ethical dilemma – review
We had high hopes for The Effect, and thankfully this show more than lived up to expectations. Written by Lucy Prebble, one of the writers of hit TV series Succession, and directed by Olivier-winner Jamie Lloyd, it’s a brilliant, captivating observation of the world we inhabit, full of moral dilemmas.
At its centre is the story of two young people, Tristan (Paapa Essiedu) and Connie (Taylor Russell), who have volunteered to take part in a new drugs trial.
They live in a world which has woken up to the importance of mental health – with an awareness that the way diseases are treated is not really fit for purpose.
We meet Lorna (Michele Austin), the doctor running the drugs trial in a bid to find a new, better way to manage depression; and Toby (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith), the creator of the drug being tested.
