Full Cast Set for Lucy Prebble's THE EFFECT at Sheffield Theatres

With Tamara Harvey's production of Pride &Prejudice to open shortly in the Crucible, Artistic Director Daniel Evans today announces the cast for his production of Lucy Prebble's The Effect - Stuart Bunce (Toby), Priyanga Burford (Dr James), Ophelia Lovibond (Connie), Henry Pettigrew (Tristan). The production opens on 30 June, with previews from 25 June, and runs until 18 July.

Tristan and Connie are strangers who are brought together during a pharmaceutical drug trial. Isolated in a unit, as the dosage increases, so too does their mutual attraction. Very soon, they're breaking all the rules.

Lucy Prebble's award-winning play, which premièred at the National Theatre in 2012 winning the Critics' Circle Award for Best New Play, explores the psychology of love, the mysteries of the brain and what really makes us who we are.

Stuart Bunce plays Toby. His theatre work includes The School for Scandal (LA Theatre Works), Romeo and Juliet (Lyric Hammersmith) and King Lear (RSC). For television, his work includes Life of Crime, Ripper Street, Clapham Junction, Nuremberg, Egypt and The Jury; and for film, Future Imperfect, The Gospel of John, The Lost Lover, Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis, Regeneration, First Night andFatherland.

Priyanga Burford plays Dr James. Her theatre credits include Behud, On Religion (Soho Theatre), A Passage to India (Shared Experience), A Midsummer Night's Dream (RSC) and Twelfth Night (Liverpool Playhouse). For television, her work includes UKIP: The First 100 Days, London Spy, No Offence, Babylon, Veep, Life of Crime, The Thick of It, Case Sensitive and A Rather English Marriage; and for film,Criminal, A Long Way Down, The Other Man and Magicians.

Ophelia Lovibond plays Connie. This is Lovibond's professional stage debut. For television her work includes Elementary, W1A, Inside No 9, Mr Sloane, The Poison Tree, Titanic: Blood and Steel and Messiah; and for film, Man Up, Guardians of the Galaxy, A Single Shot, Gozo, Eight Minutes Idle, Mr Popper's Penguins, Chatroom, Nowhere Boy, Shadow in the Sun, Popcorn and Oliver Twist.

Henry Pettigrew returns to Sheffield Theatres to play Tristan. He previously appeared in Straight (also Bush Theatre). His other theatre work includes Pitcairn (Chichester Festival Theatre/ Shakespeare's Globe/Out of Joint), The Master and Margarita (Complicite), Anna Christie (Donmar Warehouse), Hamlet (Donmar West End), Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly), Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland) and Troilus and Cressida (RSC). For television, his work includes Shetland, Silent Witness and Line of Duty; and for film The Danish Girl.

Lucy Prebble's work includes Enron (Chichester Festival Theatre, Noel Coward Theatre and Broadway) which received the award for Best New Play at the TMA Theatre Awards, and was shortlisted for the Evening Standard Award and Olivier Award for Best New Play. She is currently adapting it for Sony Pictures. She won the George Devine Award 2004 for her play The Sugar Syndrome in May 2004, followed by the TMA Award for Best New Play and Critics' Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright. Her first one act play, Liquid, was selected for performance at the NSDF where she received the PMA Most Promising Playwright Award. For television, her work includes Secret Diary of a Call Girl.

Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres Daniel Evans directs. As director, he previously directed Anything Goes (currently touring the UK), The Sheffield Mysteries, Oliver!, This Is My Family (UK Theatre Award for Best Musical Production - also on tour), The Full Monty (UK Theatre Award for Best Touring Production - also national tour and West End), My Fair Lady, Macbeth, Othello, Racing Demon as part of The David Hare Season, and An Enemy of the People - the opening production of his inaugural season. Other directing credits include American Buffalo (currently running at Wyndham's Theatre). As an actor, his previous work for the company includes Company, The Pride, Cloud Nine and The Tempest. An award-winning actor and director, Evans' work includes Sunday in the Park with George(Menier Chocolate Factory, Wyndham's Theatre and Broadway) - a role for which he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical (his second Olivier Award, the first being for Merrily We Roll Along in 2001) and a Tony Award nomination. His extensive credits include work with the Donmar Warehouse, RSC, Royal Court Theatre and National Theatre. Evans is a Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Age guidance 15+: contains swearing and sexual scenes

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