Rachael Hughes
It has been announced that Prima Facie will be making its highly anticipated Broadway debut in the US from April 11th 2023, following the play’s roaring success at the Harold Pinter theatre in London.
Cast & Crew
“Tessa is forced to re-evaluate the deep-rooted patriarchal power of the law”
Prima Facie is a one-woman show starring Emmy award winner Jodie Comer who plays Tessa; a young, accomplished barrister who has defied her working-class origins to be recognised as such. One night, she goes for dinner and drinks with a fellow barrister and finds herself victim to nonconsensual sex. Tessa is forced to re-evaluate the deep-rooted patriarchal power of the law alongside the burden of proof, and how this collides with her own morals.
The show will again be written by Suzie Miller, an Australian playwright with a background in law, and directed by Justin Martin who holds previous Broadway credits including The Inheritance. As with the West End’s rendition of Prima Facie, Rebecca Lucy Taylor aka Self Esteem will provide an original score, whilst two-time Tony Award nominee Miriam Buether will be responsible for set and costume design.
Comer stated that she “cannot wait to continue the journey with Prima Facie on Broadway this coming spring. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine having the opportunity to play on Broadway with a story as unique and thought provoking as this one. I’m honoured that a theatre as rich in history as the Golden Theatre will be home to it.”
Charity Collaborations
“the play showcases a powerful message around consent”
The play showcases a powerful message around consent. Empire Street Productions will continue to partner with UK based charity The Schools Consent Project, which educates young people about sexual assault and consent issues, extending the outreach to schools throughout the US. The Broadway production will also work with Everyone’s Invited, a digital safe space for survivors of sexual assault to share their experiences anonymously.
So far, the response has been overwhelming. Prima Facie will play a strictly limited run for 10 weeks only, with tickets going on general sale on November 16th at 10am.
Image courtesy of Vlad Alexandru Popa via Pexels. Image license found here. No changes have been made to this image.
