The final show of Coal Mine Theatre’s season is the Canadian Premiere of Lucy Pebble’s The Effect. Directed by Mitchell Cushman, with brilliant design by Nick Blais, The Effect follows two patients as they enter into a clinical trial for a new anti-depressant. Breaking all the rules, the two patients find themselves in love with one another, or so they think, bringing to light much more than the expected results of the trial. Four brilliant actors bring this unforgettable play to life in a theatrical experience you won’t want to miss!

Prebble’s script talks about mental health, and shows the raw sides of it, in a refreshingly open way. What’s brilliant is that it’s not just the journey of the patients we’re following, but of the doctor’s involved as well. You can tell that there was a great deal of time and research put into this script around not only mental health but the pharmaceutical side of it as well. It’s also a very funny play; there is a great balance of laughter and tension to create an engaging story.

Blais’ design for The Effect certainly has a beautiful effect on the production. I particularly admired the multi-functional chairs and how the cast was able to manipulate them throughout the performance. The projectors and whiteboards add to the overall sterile and clinical ambiance while also ensuring that each half of the audience can see one or their other (though rarely could I read what was on both). I also noticed that the clothes they provide them for during the trial are all totally safe: no strings or laces. It’s the little details like that which give the whole production a sense of reality.

The Effect has a wildly talented cast of actors who give first-rate performances. Aviva Armour-Ostroff is brilliant as Dr. Lorna James, the clinical psychologist who works directly with the patients in the study. Her comedic timing is always spot on, and yet she has this incredible ability to make me weep for her as well. You can see her passion in every moment on stage. Leah Doz’s performance as Connie, one of the patients, is likewise brilliant and moving; her character experiences so much in this production and she navigates it all beautifully. Aris Athanasopoulos’s Tristan is heartbreaking yet endearing; we fall in love with him just like Connie does. Athanasopoulos gives an energetic and fiery performance, keeping us in his corner the whole time. Rounding out this stellar cast is Jordan Pettle, who plays the Big Pharma CEO we all love to hate, and yet Pettle gives him a softer, considerate side which humanizes the character immensely. The chemistry between the four of them is perfection, and they tell this story with the vulnerability and fervour it requires.

With a story that’ll leave you thinking about it for days and stellar performances, you must see The Effect before it closes on July 30th. Seating is very limited, so make sure you get your tickets ASAP. You won’t want to miss this triumphant closing of Coal Mine’s first season in their new home. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.coalminetheatre.com/the-effect

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Aviva Armour-Ostroff, Leah Doz, Aris Athanasopoulos, and Jordan Pettle in TheEffect-photo by Dahlia Katz