PRIMA FACIE Previews
PRIMA FACIE Previews
#1PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/10/23 at 8:36am
Fresh off a Best New Play win at the Olivier Awards, Prima Facie begins Broadway previews tomorrow night (April 11) at the John Golden Theatre, before an April 23 opening. The one-person play — starring Jodie Comer, written by Suzie Miller, and directed by Justin Martin — will run for a limited engagement through June 18.
“Tessa is a thoroughbred. A young, brilliant barrister who loves to win. She has worked her way up from working class origins to be on 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.”
Who’s going?
Oh look, a bibu!
hearthemsing22
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/14/20
RubyLee
Swing Joined: 1/4/22
#3PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/10/23 at 8:59am
I'm going to the first Preview Tuesday. Cannot wait! Will report back.
#4PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/10/23 at 9:18am
I'm going next Saturday! Cannot contain my excitement!!!
The idea is to work and to experiment. Some things will be creatively successful, some things will succeed at the box office, and some things will only - which is the biggest only - teach you things that see the future. And they're probably as valuable as any of your successes. -Harold Prince
#5PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/11/23 at 10:00am
From the invited dress last night, we saw the play from mezzanine and the view was great! I won't comment on the production itself since it wasn't an official preview.
In terms of logistics, it started a few mins after 8pm and I was out the door by 9:50pm (roughly 100-105 mins). No intermission. On their site it states no late seating (we weren't late so cannot comment if this is strictly enforced or not.) I'm glad there's no intermission since I was able to get into the zone and focus on her story throughout. Time went by quickly for me and never checked my watch.
Note for the Golden all the restrooms are downstairs below the orchestra level. No accessible restroom inside the theater (they escort you next door to the Schoenfeld theater box office lobby which has a restroom.) On the site it also states there's no readmittance to the auditorium once the play has started so try to go to restroom before play starts!
Really excited for those who'll see this play this evening!
Stage Door Sally
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/4/09
#6PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/11/23 at 10:37am
Very interested in everyone's thoughts. I bought tickets the moment they went on sale and am taking my daughter, my theater partner in crime, and huge Jodie Comer fan. This will be her first Broadway show since Covid, and only my second after Company (closed too soon imho).
#8PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/11/23 at 11:03am
Going in a couple weeks, and I can't wait.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
#10PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/12/23 at 12:04am
I am anxiously waiting to hear as well! Next Saturday cannot come any sooner! I have already seen photos of the set. Looks a lot different from London. I love the neon sign curtain. I wonder if any of the dialogue was changed for the Broadway production.
The idea is to work and to experiment. Some things will be creatively successful, some things will succeed at the box office, and some things will only - which is the biggest only - teach you things that see the future. And they're probably as valuable as any of your successes. -Harold Prince
ErmengardeStopSniveling
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/20/18
#11PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/12/23 at 12:31am
well it's a good thing i'm not a lawyer because i just learned how to pronounce the title of this play and BOY was I wrong.
ardiem
Stand-by Joined: 7/9/15
#12PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/12/23 at 2:01am
I had to look it up too, but made sure to do so before I'd be put in a position to have to say it out loud! I'm not familiar with Judie Comer's work but the buzz is unignorable. Looking forward to seeing this on Saturday.
#13PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/12/23 at 2:28am
I thought it was a solid show. Many of the London reviews gave it 4 out of 5, and I'd agree.
Essentially, it's 2 hours of Jodie Comer reciting everything at high speed. Physically acting out as her character is reciting what has happened. (Think Shakespeare... where acting occurs on the line) Just the feat of her memorizing everything is impressive.
Having said that, I'm not sure if I was truly captivated by Jodie's performance. Sure, a one-man/woman play by default requires a lot of vanity to produce; but this seemed like too much of "Look at what I can do!" Perhaps the style of the play didn't click with me.
Ultimately, I'll just say that it's worth seeing. I was wow-ed by Jodie Comer, but not in a "I wanna give her the Tony because she gave a terrific, honest performance" way.
RubyLee
Swing Joined: 1/4/22
#14PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/12/23 at 8:39am
I agree with henrike. Very solid and impressive performance by Comer (whom I loved in both Dr. Foster and Killing Eve), but I did feel like it was fast and phrenetic for the whole 2 hours. There are a few moments where she leaves the stage and those were much needed restful moments for the audience, It is an enormous feat of stamina what she goes through on that stage...I can't imagine how she comes down from a night like this. There is an understudy listed and I hope she's paid a huge fee because that must be really tough.
The audience was very respectful and she was given the room in every way.Totally worth seeing-and really my only complaint was the pacing. Sound and lighting design effortless and affective. We were in rear mezz and I really don't think there is a bad seat in that theater.
BMcGregor
Understudy Joined: 10/15/21
#15PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/12/23 at 9:47am
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "well it's a good thing i'm not a lawyer because i just learned how to pronounce the title of this play and BOY was I wrong."
Criminal defense attorney here, we pronounce this differently in the states than in the UK. Most people that I know here say "fay-shuh," and they say fay-see or fay-shee. It catches me off guard every time. Looking forward to seeing this next month, though. I'm generally skeptical of legal plays but the pedigree of this seems phenomenal so it was a must add for my next NYC trip.
#16PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/12/23 at 10:49am
henrike said: Ultimately, I'll just say that it's worth seeing. I was wow-ed by Jodie Comer, but not in a "I wanna give her the Tony because she gave a terrific, honest performance" way."
I think Jodie Comer will at least be nominated for best leading Actress in a Play. I'm predicting others nominated in her category will be Jessica Chastain (Doll's House), Rachel Brosnahan (Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window), and Audra McDonald (Ohio State Murders).
I'm sure I missed a few but those are what I could think off the top of my head. Somehow I thought Sharon Clarke from Death of a Salesman would be considered Leading Actress but a friend told me a few weeks ago she's only eligible for Featured Role in a Play (which I found odd since Sharon Clarke won the Olivier for Best Actress in a play a few years ago.)
ErmengardeStopSniveling
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/20/18
#17PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/12/23 at 10:55am
BMcGregor said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "well it's a good thing i'm not a lawyer because i just learned how to pronounce the title of this play and BOY was I wrong."
Criminal defense attorney here, we pronounce this differently in the states than in the UK. Most people that I know here say "fay-shuh," and they say fay-see or fay-shee. It catches me off guard every time."
Well I was saying it with an overly Italian accent...... "Prima" as in Louie Prima, "Facie" rhyming with "Apache."
#18PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/12/23 at 3:23pm
Has anyone here won the lottery, and, if so, where was you seat? I won for next Tuesday, surprisingly.
Nevermind, I looked it up on Telecharge by order number. It's orchestra row P.
#19PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/12/23 at 3:58pm
RubyLee said: "We were in rear mezz and I really don't think there is a bad seat in that theater."
For sightlines, that is probably true! But as a heads up for anyone who is on the larger side, I'd highly recommend staying away from the far sides of the orchestra in this theater. I got seats via Audience Rewards to see Hangmen - Row J, Seats 6 & 8 - and the seats were so narrow it was painful, even with no one next to us. We ended up moving several rows back to an unoccupied side orchestra aisle (that performance did not sell well), and the seat width there was fine. For Topdog/Underdog, I sat on the aisle of the center orchestra in a different row and that was fine, too. So I don't know if my issue is with certain rows or specific seats or what, but not something I'd want to encounter in a sold out show with nowhere to move.
Roz Russell
Swing Joined: 4/12/23
#20PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/12/23 at 6:08pm
henrike said: "I thought it was a solid show. Many of the London reviews gave it 4 out of 5, and I'd agree.
Essentially, it's 2 hours of Jodie Comer reciting everything at high speed. Physically acting out as her character is reciting what has happened. (Think Shakespeare... where acting occurs on the line) Just the feat of her memorizing everything is impressive.
Having said that, I'm not sure if I was truly captivated by Jodie's performance. Sure, a one-man/woman play by default requires a lot of vanity to produce; but this seemed like too much of "Look at what I can do!" Perhaps the style of the play didn't click with me.
Ultimately, I'll just say that it's worth seeing. I was wow-ed by Jodie Comer, but not in a "I wanna give her the Tony because she gave a terrific, honest performance" way."
Agree solid show done at breakneck speed. Varied pacing could improve it. Text is the week link but Comer gives it everything she’s got.
#21PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/12/23 at 6:59pm
Wick3 said: "I think Jodie Comer will at least be nominated for best leading Actress in a Play. I'm predicting others nominated in her category will be Jessica Chastain (Doll's House), Rachel Brosnahan (Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window), and Audra McDonald (Ohio State Murders)."
I have no doubt Jodie will be nominated. I think there will be a group of people who are completely enthralled by what Jodie does on stage and will vote for her.
If I were a voter, however, she wouldn't be my top pick. A bit gimmicky performance style, if such a thing exists. Even though What the Constitution Means to Me (from a couple of years ago) was essentially a TedTalk, I thought Heidi Schrenk gave a more earnest performance that was quite moving to me.
Roz Russell
Swing Joined: 4/12/23
#22PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/12/23 at 7:18pm
henrike said: "Wick3 said: "I think Jodie Comer will at least be nominated for best leading Actress in a Play. I'm predicting others nominated in her category will be Jessica Chastain (Doll's House), Rachel Brosnahan (Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window), and Audra McDonald (Ohio State Murders)."
I have no doubt Jodie will be nominated. I think there will be a group of people who are completely enthralled by what Jodie does on stage and will vote for her.
If I were a voter, however, she wouldn't be my top pick. A bit gimmicky performance style, if such a thing exists. Even though What the Constitution Means to Me (from a couple of years ago) was essentially a TedTalk, I thought Heidi Schrenk gave a more earnest performance that was quite moving to me."
Good first theater outing but lacks experience. Eventually she’ll get there
Dolly80
Broadway Star Joined: 5/15/11
#24PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/12/23 at 8:08pm
Group of us going next Friday the 21st, Comer fans!
"Anything you do, let it it come from you--then it will be new."
Sunday in the Park with George
Amy Archer
Leading Actor Joined: 7/2/03
#25PRIMA FACIE Previews
Posted: 4/12/23 at 9:08pm
Mr. 'Solid' can have his say, but I was there last night as well and thought Comer gave one of the greatest performances I've seen in 50+ years of theatergoing, including having seen Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Glenda Jackson, Coleen Dewhurst, Julie Harris and Jessica Tandy. Her performance is every bit as good as advance word has said. I think it's a very strong play as well, in the great tradition of stage courtroom dramas, and very accessible but with urgency and purpose that makes it of this moment. I wouldn't miss it.
