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.
Most astonishing throughout are Comer’s quick shifts in posture, voice, pace and body language that instantly and impactfully reveal Tessa’s state of mind. The actress shoves heavy tables and chairs around the stage in director Justin Martin’s production, and looks drastically different by the end. I was in awe that I’d been in the room with the same person for an uninterrupted 100 minutes.
In a bravura stage debut (!), Comer plays Tessa, an intelligent young criminal defense barrister in London whose workload has somehow come to focus on sexual assault cases. She looks forward to cross-examination, if not so much returning home to her somewhat distant mother. Tessa is not a shark, but her mentality is sharp as one’s teeth. “There is no real truth, only legal truth,” she says, explaining the rational logistics of her work. The brilliance of Miller’s creation, brought exquisitely to life by Comer, is that Tessa does not seek to justify her career. She’s not bending over backwards to absolve herself, and her trust in the legal system is soberly convincing. And she is also the kind of woman we’d all like to befriend: successful, fun, level-headed, understanding.
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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