Play Review Part 1: Prima Facie

Prima Facie is a powerful, emotional, and award-winning one-woman show written by Suzie Miller which explores the issues of sexual assault and the current legal system. 

Prima Facie play by Suzie Miller | Image by Overdrive

This one-woman show who is played by Jodie Comer focuses on a bright criminal defendant barrister named Tessa Ensler. In the first half of the play, Tessa shares her journey from surviving the tough competition in law school to becoming a top lawyer specializing in defending men in sexual assault cases. As the show progresses, we see Tessa's attitude toward the legal system by treating it like a cutthroat game where the legal truth rises above the actual truth (she believes the law is there to protect everyone); she would focus on tearing down the testimonies of a woman (Jenna) who alleged sexual abuse. This is illustrated by the use of dark humor she uses during the first part of the play.

Near the end of the first act, an unexpected turn of events occurs when Tessa experiences being sexually assaulted by one of her colleagues; she decides to take this case to trial. As the first act ends, the overall atmosphere gradually shifts from a light-dark comedic tone to a more horrifying somber mood as Tessa becomes sexually assaulted. 

In the second half of the play, the show illustrates the trial process. As Tessa goes to trial, her perception of the legal system begins to change as she faces the other side of the legal system (becoming a witness giving her testimony); this is also a pivotal moment of the play since it sheds light on how flawed the legal system is, indicating that the law fails to protect women, who are telling the truth, in sexual assault cases. 

Overall, Prima Facie was a very powerful play sending many strong impactful messages to the audience. Jodi Comer's amazing performance brought the play to life by being able to play a variety of characters energetically while changing the scenery by moving the tables (props) around. Also, Jodi did a great job of illustrating (with the use of repetition and articulation) the importance of certain phases which adds to the importance of the message the story is trying to tell. Another aspect of Jodi's performance is how she is able to manage her emotions in a clever way; she acts energetically with the use of dark humor at the beginning of the story which slowly progresses toward a more serious emotional character — sobbing and being filled with anger — once Tessa becomes a rape victim telling her story. 

Lastly, the occasional music and lighting add to the story by creating intensity in certain moments of the play causing the audience to go on an emotional roller coaster. By the end of the play, I liked how the play reinforces the message one last time for the audience leaving us with something to think about. 

If you haven't seen this play yet, I highly recommend it. You can watch it in cinemas (if available) or stream it at National Theatre at Home. If you are interested, here is the trailer!