Prima Facie: a Latin legal term meaning 'on the face of it'.
In this powerful one-woman play, we meet Tessa, a criminal defense lawyer who is at the top of her game. She lives for the game of the law and excels in cross-examination, seeking out the shadows of doubt in every case. Having worked her way up from a working-class background, her star is shining bright. However, everything changes when Tessa finds herself on the other side of the courtroom. Tessa is raped by her colleague, another well-respected barrister who appears to be the epitome of respectability. The assault forces Tessa to confront the lines where the patriarchal power of the law, burden of proof and morals diverge. Having invested her life and whole belief system into the law, will it support Tessa when she needs it?
Prima Facie guide sections
