From ‘Killing Eve’ to conquering Broadway, Jodie Comer captivates in ‘Prima Facie’
Killing Eve, there’s more than a touch about the psychopathic assassin in Prima Facie, written by Suzie Miller, now playing at the Golden Theatre.Comer plays Tessa Ensler, a slick criminal defense barrister (or attorney) in Britain who has built a career defending men accused of sexual assault—and helping them walk free.
But her cocky attitude about the legal system’s propensity for protecting the guilty and putting the victim on trial ends up backfiring when she is raped by a colleague who is equally familiar with the murky byways of their profession.Prima Facie has been touted as a hot ticket, with rave reviews in Sydney and London before its Broadway run.
After attending a packed matinee, which ended with a standing ovation and the woman seated in front of me simultaneously sobbing and applauding, I’d have to agree it’s worthy of the accolades.The reason for this is largely Comer’s mind-blowing performance which sees her digest, embody, and explicate rich reams of complex material penned by Australian playwright and ex-lawyer Miller, in a script at the heart of which lies the argument that survivors of sexual assault are first violated by the perpetrator, and second by the law.
If you’ve heard this truism before, you probably haven’t heard it from the mouth of a lawyer who survived sexual assault. That is the hat trick of Prima Facie.Equally revelatory is Comer proving Miller’s case. “Prima facie” is a legal term denoting evidence that, at first impression, is credible enough to support a trial and conviction beyond a reasonable doubt.
