Affluenza

Affluenza is a new play by Andy Sandberg, given its world premiere at Riverside Studios in London. It is the first production of the venue's Mainstage season.

The play takes as its starting point a teenager's drunken car journey that ends in tragedy, and a courtroom verdict that turns on whether someone can be too wealthy to tell right from wrong. Drawing on real events surrounding an unusual legal defence, it follows how power and privilege ripple outwards through a family and a community.

The setting is the affluent resort community of the Hamptons. The writing asks questions about moral responsibility, the weight of inherited status and the workings of the American justice system, without offering easy answers. Sandberg, who wrote and directed the piece, presents it as a dark comedy, so the tone shifts between sharp humour and serious reflection.

The production is the opening title of the Mainstage 26-27 season at Riverside Studios, a venue that presents concerts and shows across London. It suits audiences interested in new writing and socially minded drama. The run is limited to eight weeks.