Rumble Theatre and ITSAZOO Present Lucy Prebble’s THE EFFECT

Two of Vancouver’s most adventurous theatre companies unite for a thrilling production of Lucy Prebble’s The Effect, running November 7–22, 2025 at Progress Lab (1422 William Street, Vancouver, BC). From an Emmy-winning writer of HBO’s Succession, this love-and-science thriller places audiences inside a clinical trial where two volunteers sign up to test a dopamine-regulating drug under observation. 

As doses increase and side effects ripple, attraction intensifies and the line between authentic feeling and chemical manipulation blurs—ultimately asking whether you can trust what you feel. The Effect is a taut, contemporary drama that asks—are we anything beyond our brain chemistry?

“We’re inviting audiences to experience the trial as fly-on-the-wall witnesses—close enough to feel every doubt, every dopamine spike, and the hard questions about consent and control, while the doctors log the data and the dose climbs,” says director Jiv Parasram. “It’s funny, unsettling, and intimate—a love story that refuses easy answers. Progress Lab’s closeness lets us build a true laboratory onstage and the stakes rise in real time.”

The production delves into timely themes of mental health, power, and autonomy. It considers pharmaceutical ethics and the commodification of happiness, explores romance destabilised by science, and interrogates how desire, data, and consent intersect under observation. In Progress Lab’s intimate setting, the experiment becomes a high-stakes emotional chamber where audiences sit inside the very algorithm of feeling.

Lucy Prebble is a British playwright and screenwriter whose razor wit tackles big questions of love, consent, and power. Her plays include The Effect (National Theatre), Enron, A Very Expensive Poison, and The Sugar Syndrome. On television, she’s an Emmy-winning writer/executive producer on HBO’s Succession and co-creator of I Hate Suzie, acclaimed for turning complex ideas into propulsive human drama.

The Effect’s cast comprises a who’s who of Vancouver indie talent: Paige Louter (The Wolves—Jessie nomination for Outstanding Production), Andy Kalirai (writer/performer of Gemini, 2025 Monsoon Festival), Meghan Gardiner (Dissolve—850+ performances across North America; screen: Motherland, The Good Doctor, Supergirl), and Anthony Santiago (Stratford Festival, The Citadel, Arts Club; screen: Sonic the Hedgehog, Motherland: Fort Salem) lead the luminary ensemble. 

Directed by Jiv Parasram (Arts Club’s Cambodian Rock Band; Bard’s Measure for Measure), this compelling co-production from Rumble and ITSAZOO Productions is designed by Jack Goodison (technical direction & sound—Rumble Artist in Residence/Progress Lab), Monica Emme (set & props—Arts Umbrella stagecraft instructor), Christine Quintana (costume design debut—Siminovitch Protégé Prize; 2021 Governor General’s Award nominee for Selfie), Phil Miguel (lighting—Pacific Theatre PM/TD), and Lisa Goebel (intimacy—Pride and Prejudice at Western Canada/Gateway; Madama Butterfly at Vancouver Opera), with stage management/producing by Maria Zarrillo (Rumble Managing Director) and ITSAZOO co-producer Sebastien Archibald.

About Rumble 

Rumble creates, presents, and produces contemporary performance. Working in a decentralized collective model, Rumble is committed to prioritizing projects and initiatives that utilize art to expand collective imagination, collaboration, and build a deeper understanding of relationality and community.

About ITSAZOO Productions

ITSAZOO Productions creates immersive, dynamic theatre events for daring audiences. Based in Vancouver, ITSAZOO is known for its award-winning, site-specific productions that invite spectators to step directly into the world of the play. Guided by core values of Immersion, Challenge, Fun, Integrity, and Community., the company produces everything from fly-on-the-wall indoor dramas to participatory outdoor adventures. Audiences don’t just watch an ITSAZOO show – they experience it, living through the story alongside the performers. From gripping modern tales to reimagined classics, ITSAZOO consistently delivers theatre that is bold, engaging, and unlike anything else in the city.