The Effect
Presented by The Shed and the National Theatre, in association with The Jamie Lloyd Company
About this production
“Cosmic and atomically intimate.”
—The New York Times Critic’s Pick
“Superb…four absolutely dialed-in performances”
—New York Magazine
“Genuinely engaging and smart.”
—The Observer
“Director Jamie Lloyd’s signature clinical style is just what the doctor ordered for The Effect, Lucy Prebble’s brain-tingling meditation on what makes us tick.”
—Time Out New York
What impulses define who we really are? As Connie and Tristan settle into their participation in a clinical drug trial, they begin to fall in love. But how can they be sure it’s the real thing and not an exhilarating side effect of the new antidepressant they’re taking? The supervising doctors begin to ask themselves questions too: where do they draw the line between love and ethics?
The Effect is written 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). It features Paapa Essiedu (HBO’s I May Destroy You) and Taylor Russell (Bones and All, Netflix’s Lost in Space) as the participants at the center of an illicit romance alongside 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) as the doctors administering the clinical trial.
With a traverse staging that intimately connects audience and performers, this propulsive production’s strictly limited, four-week engagement follows its acclaimed run at London’s National Theatre this past fall.
Cast
Paapa Essiedu is an acclaimed British actor with a career spanning television, film, and theater. The London-born actor has garnered many accolades including Emmy and BAFTA nominations for his breakout performance in Michaela Coel’s era-defining show, I May Destroy You.
Recent projects include The Effect, written by Lucy Prebble and directed by Jamie Lloyd, at the National Theatre. Essiedu starred in season six of the cult anthology series Black Mirror, in the episode “Demon 79”; season two of the Sky thriller The Lazarus Project; and the Working Title/Universal Christmas movie The Genie, directed by Sam Boyd and written by Richard Curtis.
2024 will see Essiedu appear opposite Saoirse Ronan in The Outrun. Based on Amy Liptrot’s bestselling memoir, the feature is directed by Nora Fingscheidt. The feature received its world premiere at Sundance and is in the Panorama section at the Berlinale.
Further screen credits include The Capture (BBC1), Alex Garland’s Men (A24), Gangs of London (HBO/Sky Atlantic), Anne Boleyn (Channel 5), Unsaid Stories (ITV), Press (Masterpiece/BBC One), Black Earth Rising (BBC Two), Kiri (Channel 4), and The Miniaturist (BBC), as well as the short film Femme, which was nominated in the Best British Short category at the 2022 BAFTAs and won the BIFA Award for Best Short Film.
Further theater credits include A Number (Old Vic; dir. Lynsey Posner), Simon Godwin’s lauded production of Hamlet at the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Merry Wives of Windsor (Royal Shakespeare Company; dir. Philip Breen), King Lear (National Theatre; dir. Sam Mendes), and Pass Over (Kiln Theatre; dir. Indhu Rubasingham).
Taylor Russell has established herself as a rare and exciting artist in film, television, and theater.
Russell recently made her stage debut as Connie in The Effect opposite Paapa Essiedu. Written by Lucy Prebble and directed by Jamie Lloyd, the play is an intimate examination of love and ethics and ran from August 1 through October 7, 2023, at the National Theatre in London. Russell was recognized with an Evening Standard Best Emerging Artist nomination for her critically acclaimed performance.
In 2022, Russell starred in Luca Guadagnino’s Bones and All opposite Timothée Chalamet and Mark Rylance. The story follows Maren Yearly (Russell) as she searches through unseen corners of America to find her estranged mother in an effort to understand her dark past. The film had its world premiere at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival, where Russell was awarded with the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor or Actress. The film was released in theaters via United Artists Releasing on November 23, 2022, and Russell was nominated for a 2022 Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Performance, a 2022 Gotham Award for Outstanding Lead Performance, and a 2022 San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Breakthrough Artist which she tied for second place. Russell’s revelatory portrayal of Maren earned her a spot in W magazine’s “Best Performances of 2022” issue.
Russell is perhaps most well known for her breakthrough role as Emily in director Trey Edward Shults’s Waves alongside Sterling K. Brown, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Renée Elise Goldsberry. The film, which was released by A24 on November 27, 2019, follows the journey of a suburban family as they navigate love, forgiveness, and grief in the aftermath of a tragedy. Peter Travers from Rolling Stone called Russell “… a phenomenal talent who digs so deep into her character you can feel her nerve endings.” As a result of her groundbreaking performance, Russell won a 2019 Gotham Award in the category of Best Breakthrough Actor. She was also honored with a Virtuosos Award at the 2020 Santa Barbara International Film Festival, nominated for a 2020 Film Independent Spirit Award, and her performance was recognized in Time magazine’s “Best Movie Performances of 2019.”
Behind the camera, Russell served as a producer and made her directorial debut with the short film The Heart Still Hums, alongside co-director Savanah Leaf. The 29-minute documentary chronicles five women as they fight for their children through the cycle of drug addiction, homelessness, and the trauma of neglect from their own parents. On June 17, 2020, the film debuted at the 2020 Palm Springs International Short Film Festival and was subsequently honored with the Best Documentary Short Award. Following its debut, Searchlight Pictures’ Searchlight Shorts acquired the short, which went on to win the 2021 Hollywood Critics Association Award for Best Short Film, as well as the award for Best Documentary Short at the 2020 Nashville Film Festival.
Russell can be seen starring alongside Ewan McGregor and Ellen Burstyn in Niclas Larsson’s feature film Mother Couch, which made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2023.
Next year, Russell will begin production on the new Korean film Hope from director Na-Hong Jin alongside Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender, and Hoyeon.
Credits
Madani Younis, Chief Executive Producer
Laura Aswad, Producer
Daisy Peele, Associate Producer
Marc Warren, Director of Production
Ben Young, Production Manager
Kellie McMenemon-Schultz, Production Administrator
Joel Price, Associate Sound Designer
Adrien Corcilius, Production Video Supervisor
Dylan De Buitléar, Sound Operator
Anna Josephs, UK Costume Supervisor
Alberta Jones, UK Prop Supervisor
Natalia Castilla, Hair and Makeup Supervisor
Heather Doole, Production Management Consultant
Simon Chue, Assistant to the Composer
Hands On, ASL Interpretation
Brandon Allmon-Jackson, Production Stage Manager
Matthew Henao, Assistant Stage Manager
Madelynn Poulson, Production Assistant
Dave Hurley, Sound Lead
Michael Fudge, Head Lighting
Josh Galitzer, Head Carpenter
Ann Comanar, Head Wardrobe
Scenery by Josh Galitzer
Additional staging by Steel Deck
Additional lighting and video equipment by PRG
Additional audio equipment by Sound Associates
Brooke Wentz, The Rights Workshop, Music Licensing
Polk & Co., Press Representatives
Thanks to Vicky Eames, Rose Hirschel, and Tzell Travel
Creating The Effect
Acknowledgments
Backstage crew employees are represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (or I.A.T.S.E.).
The director is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Inc., an independent national labor union.
Details
- Running time: 1 hour and 50 minutes with no intermission. There will be strictly no late seating, and no re-entry during the performance.
- This production contains strong language and adult themes. Not recommended for those under the age of 12.
- There are strobe/flashing lights, smoke, and haze effects, with some loud music.
- Some scenes include sexual content, physical aggression, depictions of seizures, and references to depression, anxiety, and suicide.
- For mental health resources, visit the National Institute of Mental Health’s website.
Accessibility
Seating
The Shed’s Griffin Theater has accessible seating. Please contact us in advance to discuss your needs and available options by emailing accessibility@theshed.org or calling (646) 455-3949.
ASL Interpretation
The performance on March 20 at 7 pm will feature American Sign Language interpretation by Hands On. To reserve tickets, please visit the Hands On website. Please email info@theshed.org or call (646) 455-3494 for more information.
Assistive Listening
Visitors may check out assistive listening devices at the entrance to the theater. A driver’s license will be held to check out the device.
Purchasing Tickets
The Shed’s online ticketing system includes the option to submit accommodation requests beyond the access points detailed here.
Contact Us
For questions or other requests, visit the Accessibility page, email accessibility@theshed.org, or call (646) 455-3494.
Location and dates
March 3 – 31, 2024
Preview performances: March 3 – 13
The Shed’s Griffin Theater is located at 545 West 30th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues. View The Shed on a map.
For information about accessibility and arriving at The Shed, visit our Accessibility page.