Review: PRIMA FACIE, Harold Pinter Theatre
Photo credit: Helen Murray
I looked to my left. I looked to my right. Every single member of the audience was on their feet.
What is Prima Facie on paper if you know nothing about it? It’s a 100-minute, one-act, one-woman show written by Suzie Miller. Who would have the talent to act this story truthfully, whilst being able to keep up the pace, energy and hold the audience’s attention for all that time? Enter multiple award-winning actress Jodie Comer to don the horse hair wig of determined live wire defence barrister Tessa.
Instead of the original Australian accent, the creatives and - presumably Comer - decided to opt for a lighter version of her own Liverpudlian accent. The choice is inspired as the musicality of the accent adds to the roguish and utterly charming character of Tessa in the opening part of the show and succeeds in drawing the audience into this story.
Tessa is not from a fortunate, wealthy background. Her family history seems rife with unspoken scars that we, as an audience, can only guess at, and she has had to battle her way to the prestigious position she now holds.
Tessa, as many of us do, trusts in the law, in fact she is trained to trust the law beyond her own gut feelings and instincts. As a defence barrister, she is often carefully manoeuvred to be the representative of people accused of sexual assault and revels at her own abilities to lull the opposition (victims) into a false sense of security, before confusing the already flustered victim with a flurry of questions until she finds a cause for reasonable doubt, and then secures the most important thing to anyone trying to prove themselves in court it seems, THE WIN!
Tessa trusts the law…she also trusts the barrister that she starts to become involved with as the piece goes on, until at one heart stopping moment in the show, he breaks that trust and Tessa becomes the victim of sexual assault herself. Within a few moments, her life gets turned upside down.
As the story progresses, Tessa decides to take the assault charge to court in an attempt to win justice for the crime committed on her, and over this eye opening journey of victim blaming and male bias, we see our law system through a much muddier lens, a stunted system created by men for men, and how certain parts of it are agonisingly overdue some reproach and reconsideration.
Comer, with masterful control, never drops a word throughout the entire performance and if she did, she was so embedded in her character that it could be assumed it was intentional. The direction is inspired from Justin Martin, who utilises the space and worked the levels of this vast office themed set constantly throughout the show. The most impressive thing is the breath work that they have clearly put into the piece. It feels like the audience collectively hold their breath when Comer does, and they are only permitted to breathe out on the rare well-timed occasions that she does. 100-minutes is a long time to keep an audience’s attention. Comer doesn’t just keep it, she steals it.
The set design from Miriam Beuther is innovative and intricate with two moments in the show that make me, personally, audibly gasp out loud. Whilst it would be amazing to go in to more detail about a particular moment at the end, you need to experience it for yourself.
It’s taken a few days to fully digest this piece of theatre and we challenge you to find many shows treading the boards around the world that rivals the importance of this one.
Just like the performance deserved it’s standing ovation, Prima Facie deserves to be the talk of the town (and beyond).
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: James Edge
Prima Facie plays at the Harold Pinter Theatre until 18 June.
