I initially had the pleasure of witnessing Prima Facie as part of the Melbourne Theatre Company’s 2023 season, performed at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Fairfax Studio.
The venue was smaller, more intimate, and I was moved by how powerful the work, direction and performance were. Now, Prima Facie is back for a two-city tour and Sheridan Harbridge has returned to the role of criminal defence barrister, Tessa Ensler.
Written by Australian playwright Suzie Miller, directed by Lee Lewis, and produced by Griffin Theatre Company and Andrew Henry Presents, the staging has remained the same, with a single chair on a platform. The venue is different this time though. Prima Facie is on a much bigger stage this year at Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre.
With Miller’s work making waves globally, there’s no question that the play is good. Once again, we are gifted to witness the power of Miller’s excellent writing, Lewis’ great direction and the exceptional skills of Harbridge who makes the rollercoaster of Tessa’s emotions going from confident barrister that thrives in a courtroom, to a sexual assault victim on the other side of the law with the odds stacked up against her.
The show, presented in a non-linear narrative, is very heavy hitting but has something important to say. Even at only 90 minutes with no interval, the fact we get no breaks from the subject, mirrors on just how sexual assault victims don’t ever really get a break from the trauma either. Prima Facie visits topics that have clearly resonated around the world, spanning Jodie Comer to play the role of Tessa both on West End and Broadway, even winning a 2023 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for it. Prima Facie has also been adapted into multiple languages and dialects including Turkish, Spanish, German, Icelandic, Dutch, French, Serbian, Portuguese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Bulgarian and Nepali.
It all started back in 2019 in Sydney with director Lee Lewis and Australia’s multi-talented magic woman, Sheridan Harbridge, the same two which have brought this 2026 production back to the Melbourne stage. Admittedly, I find the Comedy Theatre is too big for this work. It makes Harbridge’s Tessa look almost swallowed up by the sheer emptiness of the stage, with only a chair in the middle, whereas my initial experience felt more connecting and intimate. My other criticism is that at a certain point of the show where Harbridge disappears which felt like an excruciatingly long time, where I almost wondered if something had gone wrong. These are minor issues though.
The world has changed and what had made me angry once before from seeing this bold and brave show for the first time, has ignited anger in me in a different way from seeing it again three years later (angry in a good way). Prima Facie’s morals are more relevant and current than ever, and it’s frustrating that from when this show first debuted in Sydney, Australia back in 2019, not much has changed with helping women fight impossible obstacles when it comes to legally battling rape.
This is not a feel-good show by any means, but that’s the point. Prima Facie helps put yourself in the shoes of the victim, whilst also observing like a fly on the wall. You may be laughing half-way in while Sheridan Harbridge succeeds in tackling multiple characters in this impressive one-woman show. But you won’t be laughing by the end, and hopefully you’ll be inspired to do something about it. Suzie Miller makes her point very clear; the law needs to change.
Prima Facie remains a powerful piece of theatre that holds nothing back.
Prima Facie is currently playing in Melbourne at the Comedy Theatre until May 31st. The play then heads back to its founding city, Sydney from June 3rd until the 21st, at the Roslyn Packer Theatre.
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://primafacieplay.com.au
https://marrinergroup.com.au/shows/prima-facie
https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/whats-on/2026/productions/prima-facie
https://www.instagram.com/primafacieaustralia
Photography of 2023 production by Brett Boardman.