The Effect
★★★★☆ Compellingly performed
Assembly Roxy: Fri 26 Jun 2026
Review by Hugh Simpson
The Effect by Northern Assignment, upstairs at Assembly Roxy as part of a series of one-nighters in Edinburgh and Glasgow, is an intelligent production, staged with care and performed with distinction.
Lucy Prebble’s 2012 play features two young participants in a clinical drug trial, Connie (Alice Glass) and Tristan (Ben Robert Cunningham). They start to fall in love, which might be real, or might be a by-product of the dopamine caused by the antidepressants they are being given. Either way, it’s an annoyance for the doctors supervising the trial, Lorna (Fiona Hourston) and Toby (Paul Beeson), who have their own history to contend with.
Alice Glass with Fiona Hourston and Ben Robert Cunningham. Pic: Jed Shots.
The play is certainly a well-constructed and searching examination of the nature of love, the nature of identity, free will and control, and the sometimes murky dealings of the pharmaceutical industry. It is perhaps a little too predictable in its linear narrative, something that is accentuated by being presented with an interval as it us here. It also raises many questions it has no intention of answering, which is either very grown-up or a cop-out depending on your point of view.
Nevertheless, it’s a thought-provoking work, especially when as well performed as it is here. There’s a spark and conviction to both Cunningham and Glass, and their relationship is compellingly portrayed.
credibly brittle
Glass gives the more buttoned-up Connie a credibly brittle side, and is utterly believable. Cunningham is magnetic as the more emotional Tristan, moving between expansive self-possession and appearing convincingly lost.
Hourston is extremely good as the somewhat broken Lorna, making the character believable and nuanced, while Beeson nails Toby’s bluff self-promotion while hinting successfully at something underneath.
Paul Beeson. Pic: Jed Shots.
The direction of Ivan Hamshaw-Thomas is expressive and paced beautifully. There’s a clarity to the storytelling that is only hampered slightly by a lop-sidedness caused by the interval, with the second half taking some time to find its feet.
distracting
The minimal staging works fairly well, focusing attention on the cast; the use of a camera and projections only proves distracting but luckily is sparingly used.
In the end the play is just a little too discursive to convince completely as a drama, but Northern Assignment certainly present it with thought, diligence and impressive acting.
Running time: Two hours (including one interval).
Assembly Roxy (Upstairs), 2 Roxburgh Pl, EH8 9SU
Friday 26 June 2026
7.00 pm
Also at: The Wee Red Bar: Thursday 25 June 2026; The Voodoo Rooms Monday 29 June 2026: Cottier’s Glasgow: Wednesday 1 July 2026; The Old Hairdresser’s Glasgow Thursday 2 July 2026. All performances at 7pm.
Tickets to all performances: Book here.
Northern Assignment website: www.northernassignment.co.uk
Instagram: @northernassignment
Linktree: @NorthernAssignment
Pre-set for The Effect. Pic Claire Hutchins
ENDS
