BY LOUISE BARRETTO

Discover why Prima Facie, a one-actor, intermission-less Broadway play left me utterly amazed by Jodie Comer's mesmerizing performance as Tessa, a barrister defending sexual predators turned victim, making it an unforgettable experience worth witnessing, even drawing the attention of influential figures like Hillary Clinton, leaving a profound impact that rekindles the SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN AN AUDIENCE.

Prima Facie (which means “at first impression”), a full-length Broadway play with one actor and no intermission does not appeal to the theater nerd that I am. Prima facie, it would seem like one long ass monologue that isn’t sustainable to hold my attention amidst a cramped theater audience. I was curious since theater always had this sort of “bright lights, break-out-into-song-and-dance-number” appeal to me. So without any critical acclaim or star appeal, I would not necessarily choose to watch Prima Facie. Because of the buzz, I wanted to know what the fuss was about. There must be something about Prima Facie if it earned Jodie Comer a Laurence Oliver and Tony Award. I loved her in Killing Eve and The Last Duel, so at the very least, I would get a celebrity sighting in the books during my short visit to NYC. 

To say the least, I was blown away by Comer’s performance as Tessa, a brilliant barrister who defends sexual predators until she becomes a victim herself. I’ve known about the story from reading articles online, so I didn’t think I’d get any big plot twists and yet the play was mind-blowing and life changing. Being in that audience was like watching someone completely focused and in-the-zone, never missing a beat. It’s a wonder how anyone is able to sustain that intensity for 1 hour and 40 minutes. There is no intermission but there is a rain shower onstage with a projection of text graphics to show the passage of time which also serves as a visual way to give Comer a short break away from the stage. Even her little water breaks are seamlessly incorporated into the stage action. 

Empire Street Productions tweeted the play’s staggering numbers: 74 London performances to 60,000; 95 Broadway performances to 75,000; over £100,000 raised for charity, 329 liters of rain per show, 23 awards. For a one-woman show, that’s incredible. I was able to watch the first show after Comer’s Tony Award win and the energy of the audience was palpable. It was the show’s victory lap and apparently Hillary Clinton was in the audience too, though I didn’t see her. 

As an Angeleno transplant, it’s been over a decade since I’ve seen a show in the Great White Way and it feels good to be back in arguably one of the most vibrant cities in the world. The communal experience of sitting in an audience with their collective sighs and gasps juxtaposed with the near silence that you can hear a pin drop – it’s a reminder that shows and concerts are spiritual experiences.

Comer commands the stage completely and brings her character and all the supporting characters she has to imbibe to life. Despite it being a one-woman show, she couldn’t have done it without an amazing play by Suzie Miller, deftly handled by director Justin Martin, a long time collaborator of Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot, The Crown, The Hours). 

Prima Facie officially closed on July 2nd and it is a once in a lifetime experience. London’s National Theatre has a live broadcast of the show and I would definitely watch it again to experience the show in a different way.