Tessa is a thoroughbred. A young, brilliant barrister who loves to win. She has worked her way up from working-class origins to be at the top of her game; defending; cross-examining and lighting up the shadows of doubt in any case. An unexpected event forces her to confront the lines where the patriarchal power of the law, burden of proof and morals diverge. Suzie Miller’s award-winning Prima Facie takes us to the heart of where emotion and experience collide with the rules of the game. Justin Martin directs this solo actor tour de force from Jodie Comer.
Bar one pause in the intermission-less 100 minutes, Killing Eve star Comer is on stage throughout, inhabiting Tessa and a gallery of other characters—including her mother, best friend, and rapist. But most stunning is her presentation of Tessa who both goes through so much, and seems so much. The play is a blunt polemic against a patriarchal legal system weighted against female victims of sexual violence; Comer’s performance and Martin’s staging deepens the text into a one of the most electrifying pieces of theater on Broadway this season.
Ms. Miller’s drama—the title is Latin legalese for “on the face of it”—arrives in New York trailing accolades, including Olivier Awards for best play and best actress, for its London run. High expectations can occasionally lead to disappointment, particularly as “Prima Facie” is opening in the fray of a busy Broadway spring season. Not so here. This urgent drama about the legal and emotional brutalities women often endure when they file charges of rape, particularly against a friend, lover or even husband, strikes home with scalding power.
Digital Lottery:
Price: $10
Where: primafacieplay.com/ticket-lottery
When: Beginning April 5, 2023, tickets priced at $10 for the following week's performances will be released every Wednesday.
Limit: Two per customer
Information: Tickets are subject to availability.
2023 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Direction of a Play | Justin Martin |
2023 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Lead Performer in a Play | Jodie Comer |
2023 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Lighting Design | Natasha Chivers |
2023 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Play | Suzie Miller |
2023 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Scenic Design | Miriam Buether |
2023 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Sound Design of a Play | Ben Ringham |
2023 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play | Natasha Chivers |
2023 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Play | Suzie Miller |
2023 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Solo Performance | Jodie Comer |
2023 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Jodie Comer |
2023 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Play | Prima Facie |
2023 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Solo Performance | Jodie Comer |
2023 | Theatre World Awards | Theatre World Awards | Jodie Comer |
2023 | Tony Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Play | Jodie Comer |
2023 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design of a Play | Natasha Chivers |
2023 | Tony Awards | Best Scenic Design of a Play | Miriam Buether |
2023 | Tony Awards | Best Sound Design of a Play | Ben & Max Ringham |
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