Review: Prima Facie at Heath Ledger Theatre

Prima Facie at Heath Ledger Theatre
Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Prima Facie, the latest production from the Black Swan Theatre Company, shines a spotlight on the harrowing journey for victims of sexual assault who seek justice within the legal system. Penned by lawyer turned playwright Suzie Miller and directed by Kate Champion, the one-person play is a gripping and powerful performance that leaves a lasting impact on its audience.

Miller, who also authored Black Swan’s most recent production, RBG: Of Many, One, once again delves into the legal realm for her narrative. Unlike RBG, however, with its celebratory atmosphere as it depicts its namesake's successful pursuit of gender equality through legislation, Prima Facie is a far more darkly personal encounter. 

The play commences with Tessa, the good-willed but also slightly brattish lawyer, as she buzzes across the stage, regailing tales of her successes in the courtroom that she positively thrives on. To Tessa, her actions amongst her clients and their families are akin to a game—a game that she is very much in love with. Time and time again, Tessa is able to skilfully leverage facts and evidence to gain her clients' successful acquittal, and she herself chalks up another victory. It is not until the tables are turned that Tessa starts to realise what actually happens in the courtroom, and the reality and emotions that accompany it hit her head on.

The juxtaposition of Tessa's roles within the courtroom, from lawyer to plaintiff, provides the play with its central premise and dramatic intrigue. This motif also serves to demonstrate the challenges of bringing sexual assault cases before a court of law and the imbalance of power that is at play in such cases. The play's title, a Latin term that means “at first glance" and is used in the legal system to refer to how a situation appears at face value, works in two senses within the play. The first meaning is the term's legal connotation, while on a metaphorical level, its use is an invocation for the audience to look beyond the surface and confront the uncomfortable realities of a sexual assault case. 

In the lead role, Sophia Forrest is formidable, as they demonstrate remarkable dexterity in portraying the gamut of emotions that comprise the character of Tessa. As the hotshot lawyer, Forrest imbues the character with a mixture of cool disregard and immature affect before eschewing this confidence with a personally intimate and raw portrayal of trauma. Clocking in at 100 minutes, there is barely a moment that Forrest is not on stage, yet they hold the audience's attention from beginning to end with aplomb.

While the script was at times rather plain and coldly legalistic, with everyday contemporary language being favoured over symbolistic or flowery language, Forrest was able to breathe life into the main character. As a result, Forrest was able to successfully articulate triumph, despair, and frustration in a role that required both complexity and relatability.

Elsewhere, the aural dimension of the play was particularly stunning, thanks to Melanie Robinson. Robinson's composition and sound design were fundamental to the play, superbly articulating the narrative arc and punctuating the play's changing backdrops as well as the inner pulse of its main character. At times almost imperceptible, Robinson's soundscapes greatly enhanced the dramatic intent of the play. Likewise, Peter Young's thoughtful lightning design and the sleek set design from Bruce McKinven greatly assisted the performance, bringing the play and its environs to life. 

An emotionally difficult watch, the play succeeds in being relevant and articulating the contemporaneous surrounds. Whereas the play's 2019 premiere was set against the social backdrop of the #MeToo movement, last year's media frenzy of Brittany Higgins' case in the Australian media indicates that the law, and society at a larger extent, has yet to adequately provide victims of sexual assault with the emotional and legal backing that they so desperately deserve. As a catalyst for change, Prima Facie stands up and delivers.

MICHAEL HOLLICK

Photos by Daniel J Grant