Prima Facie by Suzie Miller
Staged reading of selected scenes

Prima Facie* by Suzie Miller exclusive presentation, on Sunday, April 7, at the SNFCC Lighthouse, as part of WOW Athens 2024 festival.

The play follows the story of a young lawyer, Tessa, a working-class woman who has managed to work her way up to a leading defense attorney. Feisty - her passion is to win cases - she works hard, cross-examines thoroughly, and lights up the shadows of doubt in any case. Until an unexpected event forces her to confront the lines where the patriarchal power of the law, burden of proof and morals diverge.

"When Prima Facie was first staged at the Griffin Theatre - Australia's playwrights' theatre, a night was sold specially to women in the law. The audience was made up of women judges, QCs, SCs, barristers, solicitors and female politicians from both state and federal parliaments. All of us women. As one of the creatives I sat on stage afterwards. What followed was a long and exciting discussion where played out before me was an authentic intersection between art and social change. Later that week members of the Law Reform Commission also attended a weekday matinee. Later that week we also had a few boys' schools attend in groups accompanied by teachers and parents. The compassion and curiosity expressed afterwards was a beacon of hope for future generations."
- Suzie Miller's note

The stunning dramatic monologue by Suzie Miller - multi-award-winning international playwright and screenwriter with a background human rights law - premiered in Australia in 2019 at the Griffin Theater in Sydney. A new production in London's West End in 2022 starring Emmy and BAFTA winner Jodie Comer was directed by Justin Martin and won the Olivier Award for Best New Play and Best Actress. It then transferred to Broadway breaking box office records and winning the Tony Award for Best Actress. The Wall Street Journal wrote of it as "one of the most thrilling performances of the season" and the Daily Beast referred to it as "one of the most electrifying pieces of theatre on Broadway."

Prima Facie has now been licensed to over 30 countries and, currently, there are a dozen foreign language versions being staged in theatres across Europe, Asia, New Zealand and now Greece -in 2024.

Just last month, Suzie Miller led a Panel Discussion on "Victims' rights approach to sexual abuse and harassment" at UN Headquarters in New York.

She is thrilled that Prima Facie has started so many conversations and has been instrumental in highlighting the need for change in legal systems.

*Prima facie (legal term): On the face of it

Translation: Daphne Economou
Directed by Io Voulgaraki

After the Stage Reading, there will be a discussion with playwright Suzie Miller.

TRIGGER WARNING
Recommended for ages 12+
Includes sensitive subject matter including reference to sex, violence, and rape.

Supported by the Australian Embassy in Greece.