Coal Mine Theatre/The Impact, written by Lucy Prebble, directed by Mitchell Cushman, Coal Mine Theatre, July 9 to 30. Tickets right here.

Lucy Prebble’s The Impact (2012) is a flawed however intriguing play.

The British playwright is clearly a lady of excessive intelligence. In spite of everything, she made her title with the sensible Enron (2009) primarily based on the scandal-plagued American power firm. In The Impact, she takes on massive pharma.

The setting is a clinic the place a 4-week drug trial for an unnamed antidepressant is being performed. This drug causes the dopamine within the mind to extend. There we meet two of the paid volunteers, and two of the docs.

Tristan Frey (Aris Athanasopoulos) is a free spirit who’s within the trial to earn cash for journey. He jokes, he flirts and he’s at all times irreverent. Connie Corridor (Leah Doz) is a serious-minded psychology scholar. She’s a bit cynical, and thinks she is aware of all in regards to the ins and outs of drug trials. She has an older boyfriend. On first assembly, Connie finds the persistent Tristan to be downright annoying.

Dr. Toby Sealey (Jordan Pettle) is the person heading the trial. He actually believes that antidepressants can remedy the “Melancholy Epidemic” that’s sweeping the world, and that’s attributable to, he believes, chemical imbalance. Dr. Lorna James (Aviva Armour-Ostroff), who is definitely conducting the everyday workings of the trial, is environment friendly however doubtful in regards to the efficacy of the drug. It appears that evidently she suffers from despair herself, and that she and Dr. Sealey have been former lovers.

Now it seems that antidepressants induce the identical rise in dopamine ranges as falling in love. When Tristan and Connie do fall in love, Connie wonders if it’s the impact of the drug, or a pure prevalence.

Dr. James thinks that maybe exterior forces, like shut private issues like shedding a job or massive detrimental world occasions like battle, may cause despair — that it’s not a illness attributable to low dopamine ranges, however is a pure state. Dr. Sealey, alternatively, is professional psychopharmaceuticals and neuroscience. He additionally has just a few secrets and techniques of his personal.

The play follows the 2 parallel {couples}, one following the course of affection, the opposite following the drug debate, overlaid by their very own compromised previous.

As I mentioned initially, The Impact is flawed. For one factor, it’s far too lengthy. Secondly, the love story and the drug debate appear at occasions to go in circles. Prebble makes her level about questionable drug trials many occasions over.

Then again, the performing is great. Nobody performs slimeball characters higher than Pettle. Armour-Ostroff provides one other of her stellar sturdy however susceptible performances, whereas Doz is completely plausible in her arc from humourless to love-beset.

I wish to give particular point out to Athanasopoulos. I’ve now seen the younger actor in a few performs and from the get-go, he has been a stand-out in his character supply. I predict he’s on his strategy to an excellent profession, be it stage or display screen. He’s positively one to look at.

Cushman’s directing is deft and to the purpose as at all times, whereas Nick Blais’ lighting, set and props are a marvel. His specifically designed furnishings needs to be seen to be believed. Additionally including to the manufacturing values are James Smith’s perky unique music, Cindy Dzib’s bang-on costumes, and Jack Considine’s reasonable projections.

The play’s intriguing high quality comes from its uncommon matter, and the truth that Prebble does hold you guessing as to what’s going to occur subsequent, and eventually, how the playwright’s immense creativeness sees the drug trial and its penalties enjoying out.

Is it well worth the schlepp to Woodbine and Danforth? Undoubtedly.

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Paula Citron is a Toronto-based freelance arts journalist and broadcaster who hosts her personal web site, paulacitron.ca. For over 25 years, she was senior dance author for The Globe and Mail, affiliate editor of Opera Canada journal, arts reviewer for Classical 96.3 FM, and dance previews contributor to Toronto Life journal. She has been a visitor lecturer for numerous cultural teams and universities, significantly on the position of the critic/reviewer, and has been a panellist on COC podcasts. Earlier than assuming a full-time journalism profession, Ms. Citron was a member of the drama division of the Claude Watson College for the Arts.

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