Prima Facie

As an ex-lawyer, writer Suzie Miller has seen all sides of the Australian legal system – founded, of course, on British patriachy, established mainly to protect wealthy land-owners in the middle ages. It's an old order, deeply steeped in Latin terminology and ancient practice. The fact that legal aid was introduced in Australia in the 1970s only highlights that this this is a system that doesn't like change. So how does it serve us today? Through her story of high-powered legal eagle, Tessa (played brilliantly by Sheridan Harbridge, who originated the role in 2019) Miller examines how the process works for, or fails, victims of sexual assault when the system is skewed to its very core. More female lawyers might redress the balance, right? Well, see what happens when Tessa's professional and private life takes an unexpected turn in a split second. The tables are turned and she is forced to confront all her choices.

From the opening images of a lawyer in Court performing like a thoroughbred racehorse, this play is fast-paced, with poetically succinct use of language. In telling Tessa's story, the sole performer also has to evoke other incidental characters, including a courtroom and a legal office full of men. Tessa is not a stereotyped harsh female lawyer – she is ambitious, she knows how to play – and win – the game, but she justifies her actions in dedicated service of the law. It is a knife-edge portrayal by the talented and disciplined Harbridge. At the heart of the story is Tessa's description of a disturbing sexual assault. The scripting is brutally honest, but never exploitative or overdramatised. It has to be the most realistic portrayal and examination I've seen of the subtleties, the doubts, the blurred lines and confusion of a sexual encounter turned swiftly and harrowingly wrong.

Director Lee Lewis and her actor have a track record with this story, premiering the piece at Griffin Theatre Company in 2019. They have worked well together to keep the pace energetic and engaging. It is edge-of-seat viewing and the one-act format serves the story well. Prima Facie is a Latin term for 'on the face of it'. Miller takes another legal term, Voir Dire, meaning 'to speak the truth', and its use in legal procedure to ingeniously point out the incongruous and ironic in the legal system that frames the action in this one-woman drama. The structure is sharp, building tension by cutting back and forwards in the timeframe. By the end, we feel Tessa's exhaustion as the story comes to its inevitable conclusion. But this is no stodgy courtroom drama; there are no white wigs or robes. The sharpness of this story is reinforced by straightforward set design by Renee Mulder and lighting design by Trent Suidgeest. The stress is underscored by composer and sound designer Paul Charlier. And there is humour to break the tension: when Tess is most in need of sisterly support, she notes that even the stenographer in the courtroom is a man!

I saw a matinee production with a crowd of mainly older women. At the conclusion, when these women gave Sheridan Harbridge a well-earned standing ovation, the impression of beaming faces, framed by grey hair, really did underline the playwright's message – one in three women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. Of course, these women are someone's friend, sister, mother, grandmother. The playwright points out on more than one occasion that this could be the person sitting next to you. And, for me, while powerfully performed, the closing monologue was the equivalent of a straight-to-camera piece in a film, reminding the audience that 'It's up to you'. In this case, that message had already been delivered. And, unless we work in the legal profession, we may feel we have no power to change anything. But to her credit, Miller's script also underlines a profession that thrives on manipulating facts and empathy, populated by people whose work life is casually punctuated with alcohol over-consumption, and fuelled by gossip and competition. That lifestyle won't be confined to the legal halls. She reminds us that every major change starts with individuals like Tessa. Don't miss the chance to see Sheridan Harbridge tackle a complex character in this topical and powerful play.

Prima Facie plays at the Bille Brown Theatre until 7 August.

Beth Keehn

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Photographer: Brett Boardman