Prima Facie

The idea for "Prima Facie" came to Suzie Miller while she was still a law student, long before she became a playwright. But it wasn't until after years of working as a criminal defense and human rights attorney that she had the opportunity to realize the play. The #metoo movement had reinforced Miller's desire to bring a feminist interrogation of the legal system to the stage. Those who snag one of the coveted tickets for the always sold-out performances on Broadway or in the West End can experience Miller's virtuoso solo piece for an actress in the original English. On December 1, the work will also celebrate its premiere at the Düsseldorf Schauspielhaus. - Lou Strenger will play the role of Tessa Ensler, directed by Philipp Rosendahl.

Miller's protagonist is a young lawyer in England who has made it from the working:inside class to a prestigious law firm. Now she defends men who are being prosecuted for sexual crimes. In court, Ensler methodically and brilliantly interrogates the prosecution's witnesses to reveal doubts on behalf of her clients. One winning case follows the next - until an unexpected attack on her own person, the sexual assault of a work colleague on a first date, forces Tessa to pause. Suddenly, she finds herself confronted with experiences that massively question her self-determination. She files a complaint and finally, two and a half years later in court, finds herself in the opposite position: from defense attorney, she has become a witness for the prosecution, whose word is doubted. Her career and, not least, her dignity are at stake.

"Prima Facie" raises the question of whether we've really reached the end of our rope when it comes to reforming criminal sex law. Miller's award-winning play makes the patriarchal power of the judiciary tangible in a sensitive and impressive way through a case study.