Prima Facie

At first sight, or as a lawyer might say ‘prima facie’, Sydney’s Carriageworks theatre is too big for a one-person play. Constructed in 2007 from the giant Eveleigh Railway Workshops, the theatre is vast, seating over 600, and you’re asking for trouble if you want to put on a play that features just the one woman. But that’s exactly what Carriageworks have done, inviting Western Australia’s Black Swan Theatre to bring their one-woman production of Prima Facie here. And it works.

With every seat in their 12-day run booked, and with a sky-high level of audience attention, the award-drenched play comes roaring at you. Suzie Miller’s brilliant conceit won Australia’s Griffin Award in 2018 and went on to win both the Olivier (UK) and Tony (USA) Awards in quick succession. 

Apparently unworried by the open spaces delivered by the setting, Sof Forrest makes their entrance way back centre stage. Through 14 floor-to-ceiling columns they comes to a small desk up-front and begins Tessa's story, the story of an outsider.

A brilliant student from a tricky background, Tessa has had to battle her way to a position of growing excellence in the business of modern law, of lawyers and their off-duty times. In this riveting piece of theatre, she clearly defines her outsider position.

Sof Forrest is excellent as they takes us through Tessa's talents as a lawyer and on to the reasons behind her fall from grace, just as it seemed the world was her oyster. There’s always her family in the background, a long way behind, uncaring, unknowing.

Brilliantly directed by Kate Champion, Artistic Director of the Black Swan, the play reveals all its strength and international power. At the end, the lights are turned on the audience itself as Ms Forrest and the play firmly delivers its message: how women are treated by men.

The extraordinary setting is designed by Bruce McKinven and ‘realised’ by Andy Cross, with amazing lighting by Peter Young. There’s a lot of business with numbers toward the end, with brilliant use of Jessica Russell as Audio Visual Designer.

Frank Hatherley

Photographer: Daniel Boud