The Effect

The Observer“It is a lovely collaboration...” There is a smidgen of formula about Rupert Goold's effective production, but that is dispelled by Lucy Prebble's incisive dialogue. It is extraordinary that a condition characterised by withdrawal of energy should make such a dynamic piece of theatre

The Stage“This is the best new play of the year...” Prebble handles these complex questions with remarkable clarity, and the play is full of fascinating snippets of scientific information, science jokes and observations about neurology - and love...

The Independent“Searingly well-performed...” Choreographed in a manner that is tinglingly alert to the fierce emotional geometries of the piece, this four-hander brings the author's agile wit, intellectual penetration and a fresh, deeply affecting empathy to bear...

Guardian“It's not a flawless play, but it's a palpably intelligent one...” "The acting is excellent throughout. Billie Piper, as she proved in Treats and Reasons to Be Pretty, has a strong stage presence, and endows Connie with a glowing warmth and palpable hunger for love..."

Whatsonstage.com“An imperfect play, maybe, but one that pleases and provokes... ” "Piper gets better every time I see her, and this performance is full of laughter and tears, great physical verve and vivacity, while O’Neill burns up the stage with an electrifying confidence and swagger..."

The Arts Desk“The best aspect of the production is the acting...” "Together, they create an intensive, stimulating and moving evening in what might well be the best new play of the year. That’s what I felt when I left the theatre — surely it couldn’t have just been a temporary chemical imbalance, could it?...

Evening Standard“One of the most intelligent voices in British theatre...” "Crucially, Prebble has written a profound and stirring play. The material is complex but always accessible, the drama serious and informative yet deeply human, with the odd jolt of piercing humour..."

The Telegraph“An astonishingly rich and rewarding play...” "What makes The Effect so special, is that as well as being a play of ideas, it is also deeply moving, both in its depiction of the giddy wonder of love, and also in its account of the terrifying wasteland of depression itself..."