Prima Facie (NHB Modern Plays)
Suzie Miller
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- English
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Prima Facie (NHB Modern Plays)
Suzie Miller
Ăber dieses Buch
Tessa is a young, brilliant barrister. She has worked her way up from working-class origins to the top of her game: defending, cross-examining and winning.
But an unexpected event forces her to confront the patriarchal power of the law, where the burden of proof and morality diverge.
Prima Facie by Suzie Miller is an award-winning play for a solo actor, taking us deep into a world where emotion and integrity are in conflict with the rules of the game.
After several acclaimed productions in Australia and winning the Australian Writers' Guild Award for Drama, the play received its European premiere at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London's West End in April 2022. It was produced by Empire Street Productions, directed by Justin Martin, and starred Jodie Comer, the Emmy and Bafta Award-winning star of TV's Killing Eve, making her West End debut.
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Every single one.
Every muscle pumped
trained and ready for the sprint.
Hold back.
Keep the blood
at just the right temperature.
thenâŠ
âall standâ,
out of the stalls.
Push forward.
when to find an opening.
Ready to jump when the other side falters.
Poised.
Watching, waiting.
mind operating on ten tracks at once.
Muscles
tightly wound,
waiting to spring.
Itâs starting to open up,
wait.
Wait.
This is the measure of your skill set,
the calm before.
Instinct pushes me forward.
Eyes
zooming in on me.
Yesss.
big guy,
looks stunned.
Doesnât quite know Iâve won a point,
but he feels the shift.
Likes it.
My client hates the witness,
but for me,
the witness is just
âthe witnessâ.
The prosecution finishes.
Then itâs time.
The witness is mine!
The witness breathes in.
I stand up,
slowly, do up the button on my jacket.
Courtroom silent,
charged,
waiting for moi.
cooool.
Voice,
measured.
confident.
Play it.
Play it,
itâs yours.
[Youâre holding it in the palm of your hand.]
Play with it.
Stretch it out,
itâs yours.
Itâs the best part.
All instinct.
Repeat the answer;
repeat it again.
Watch his face,
let him think Iâm getting mixed up;
let him think Iâve lost my way.
A snicker from prosecution counsel.
Good.
Very good.
flick through papers.
My client shifts uncomfortably in the dock.
Good.
Then I repeat the question,
watch the witness relax.
Shoulders move back;
âThis one doesnât seem to know what sheâs doing.â
seen the likes of me.
Question two.
This emboldens him.
here he goes.
over talk.
Let him âclarifyâ.
âThanks for that, I wasnât sureâŠâ
âThis one must be straight out of uni or something;
sheâs not that good.â
Huh!
Heâs got the upper hand
not afraid
no longer
vigilant.
I let him explain it to me.
Nodding.
Iâm nodding.
He digs himself in deeper.
He volunteers more information.
put a finger to his own forehead.
And I know.
nodding approval.
âOh I see, but why did that happen?â
but the judge knows.
No one can help him.
And he
swims right into it.
flash of confidence across his face.
feel his control.
Feel SAFE.
tiptoe.
Circle again.
flick through some pages.
They know,
they cringe for him.
But they love it, they lean forward.
no idea.
And him, in the witness box,
the one I am talking to,
no clue.
Still.
No. Fucking. Clue.
I hope you donât mind â it will help me get the full pictureâ /
Perfect.
the guy whoâs turning his head down to the table.
He night know
he might sense.
If he wasnât so sure, so cocky,
heâd feel it.
Danger.
But nup, heâs in his element.
Thinks he is the cat
and I am the mouse.
[Perfect.]
Stop paper shuffling.
Look right at the witness.
he glances quickly to the prosecutor.
Prosecutor canât say anything,
but his eyes,
the prosecutorâs eyes are straining, trying to say:
âDonât.
Donât.
Keep your wits about you.
Donât fall into this trap.â
my last circle.
Then,
Bang.
Bang.
Bang bang.
shock.
And the look I get;
dawning.
You thought you had this.
The people in the gallery lean forward;
Imitates them with glee.
Sheâs good.â
is awestruck.
My eyes are on the witnessâs face.
Now for the first time he actually sees me.
âAnswer the question please Mr Bateman.â
Professional.
Itâs all over now,
he knows it,
I know it,
the judge knows it,
and the witness is about to really know it.
Sweetest voice ever.
The judge reminds Mr Bateman that he must answer the question.
âAnswer counselâs question please Mr Bateman.â
at me.
He is fucked.
His head is down,
he mumbles something.