Prima Facie

For over a year now, I have been dying to watch the one woman show, Prima Facie, on Broadway starring Jodie Comer. Jodie Comer has had my heart since she played Villanelle in Killing Eve, so seeing her perform in a one woman show on Broadway was one of the only things on my agenda when I moved back to New York. Upon realizing that it was going to leave Broadway at the beginning of July, I decided to buy my ticket for the end of June.

It was my birthday gift to myself.

Unfortunately, I chose to purchase the tickets after she won the Tony so the cost quadrupled, but it was still worth it. No one else could afford to go with me, so it was set to be a one woman show for me too.

Beforehand I had time for a drink and stopped by tourist central: Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, in order to remind myself of the place I went to as a child and why I should never go back there again. The fact that it was in Times Square should have been indication enough.

I took my seat early and didn’t want to get out of it, even to pee, since I knew that I wouldn’t be let in late if I missed the opening of the show. Watching the curtain rise and seeing Jodie Comer standing there in her barrister’s outfit to a roar of applause was too much for me. I was worried that my expectations were now so high that there was no way for this performance to live up to it and yet, it was a masterpiece. And I don’t like the “M” word. For starters, to say that Jodie Comer earned that Tony is an understatement. 

She was sensational in it: hilarious at times, vulnerable at all times, and giving the performance of a lifetime every second of the show. Even as she took her bow– to a standing ovation, of course– she still looked deadly serious.

The story is all about sexual assault. A barrister who has defended numerous rapists in court, and always wins, gets sexually assaulted herself and comes to understand just how horrible the justice system is to victims of sexual violence. She goes through a rollercoaster of emotions as she fights her losing battle, coming to terms with the torment that she has put other women through. It is a glimpse at not just the violation of the assault but the violation of the court system’s “pursuit of justice.”

It is painstaking to watch as the story goes into graphic detail about her experiences, making you squirm in your seat with discomfort, but it is invigorating as Comer dives into her final monologue, letting it roll off her tongue.

I expected by the end of it to feel the tears hitting my glasses, but instead I was numb. All around me, I heard people sniffling.

Music pulsated throughout the show, making for a visceral experience. As another woman put it, we were “bathed in sound.” The story was intense, the writing was so elevated, and I know that I will love Prima Facie for years to come. 

I have her poster on my wall to ensure that I think about it often.

The Tragic Queen,

Raquel