During a double-blind drug trial of an antidepressant, the protagonists, Connie, played by Matilda Harradine, and Roberto Rowinski’s Tristan, fall madly in love with each other, but is their budding romance real or simply a side effect of the medication? In an attempt to modernise the now over a decade old play, the show opens with a nod to the pandemic and the surge in cases of depression that accompanied it. Whilst bringing a new relevance to some parts of the story, there felt a forced relatability to a theme that carried on little throughout the rest of the play.
This is soon forgotten, however, when the audience is swept up in Connie and Tristan’s tumultuous journey. Their playful romance sees Tristan unravelling the chronically-anxious Connie through an endearing dance performance to Single Ladies by Beyonce. His boyish charm, wonder, and recklessness compliment a rational, yet curious Connie. Stripped back set and costume design mirrored the vulnerability of being completely out of control of one’s own emotions, mind, and setting. The portrayal was sweet, yet one was left wondering if there was real chemistry between the leads, despite the actors’ best efforts.
Arguably, the real passion was portrayed in the entanglement between the doctors leading the trial, Dr Lorna James (Abigail Wright) and Toby (Jamie Egan). As the ethics of the research are called into question, the furious altercations of conflicting opinion are heated and tense. Harsh, red lighting was cleverly peppered throughout the production enhancing the feeling of stress and confusion at crucial moments. Brilliantly delivered monologues moved audience members to tears, as the deeply personal stories behind the scientists were revealed.
Overall, the charm of the play comes from it offering no answers. Exploration into the science behind depression, love, and desire only leads to more questions. By attempting to unveil the truth or find an antidote to feeling, the curious are led down a path perhaps more destructive than constructive. The unsettling truth is that we have little control over the chemicals that make us all human.
Rating: ★★★★☆
SUTCo’s The Effect is playing until March 15th at the University of Sheffield Drama Studio. Tickets are available here
