The award-winning script for Prima Facie , written by Suzie Miller , is a 100-minute one-woman monologue that follows Tessa Ensler
, a brilliant defense barrister who excels at "playing the game" of the legal system until she becomes a victim herself. Guide to the Prima Facie Script 1. Synopsis and Structure
The play is divided into two distinct emotional halves that mirror Tessa's transformation: Part One (The Defense):
Tessa is a "thoroughbred" barrister from a working-class background. She thrives on cross-examining witnesses and winning cases by creating "reasonable doubt," often for clients accused of sexual assault. Part Two (The Witness):
Following a sexual assault by a colleague, Tessa finds herself on the other side of the legal system. She must decide whether to testify, knowing the system she once mastered is built to protect the accused, not the victim. 2. Key Themes and Motifs Prima Facie by Suzie Miller - The Lotus Readers
The story of the award-winning play and novel Prima Facie , written by Suzie Miller, follows the dramatic transformation of Tessa Ensler, a brilliant and ambitious young defense barrister. The Professional Game
Tessa is a "thoroughbred" from a working-class background who has fought her way to the top of the London legal scene. She specializes in defending men accused of sexual assault, viewing the law as a high-stakes game where the only thing that matters is the "legal truth"—not what actually happened, but what can be proven in court. She is ruthless and efficient, famously skilled at cross-examining victims and dismantling their testimonies to create "reasonable doubt." The Turning Point
Tessa's world is shattered when she is sexually assaulted by a colleague from her own chambers. For the first time, she finds herself on the other side of the legal system—not as the architect of the defense, but as the witness for the prosecution.
As the case moves to trial, Tessa realizes that the very legal system she once mastered is designed to work against victims of sexual violence. She must navigate:
The Burden of Proof: She faces the same grueling cross-examination techniques she once used on others.
The "Legal Truth" vs. Reality: She sees how the law requires victims to provide perfectly consistent, "crystal-clear" evidence that often contradicts how the human brain actually processes trauma.
Systemic Bias: She begins to understand that the patriarchal structure of the law often protects the accused at the expense of justice for the victim. The Conclusion
The story concludes with Tessa standing in the witness box, delivering a powerful indictment of a system that fails one in three women. While the legal verdict remains uncertain, Tessa’s personal victory lies in her refusal to be silenced, ultimately choosing to speak her truth even when the system is rigged against her.
The play was originally performed by Jodie Comer in a critically acclaimed run in London and on Broadway. Suzie Miller has since written a thematic sequel titled Inter Alia, starring Rosamund Pike, which explores these legal themes from the perspective of a female judge.
Prima Facie is a powerhouse one-woman play by Suzie Miller that explores the intersection of law, trauma, and gender through the perspective of Tessa, a high-achieving criminal defense barrister. Narrative Overview
The script is divided into two starkly different halves that mirror the transition from the "winner" of the legal system to its victim. Purely Dicta Act I: The Game of Law
Tessa is introduced as a brilliant, working-class barrister who has mastered the patriarchal "rules of the game". She takes pride in winning, even when defending those accused of sexual assault, believing firmly that the law is not about truth, but about the burden of proof and the legal "test". Act II: The Witness
Tessa is raped by a colleague, Julian, after a date. She suddenly finds herself on the other side of the witness stand, forced to navigate the same ruthless cross-examination techniques she once used to dismantle victims' testimonies. Purely Dicta Core Themes & Motifs "Legal Truth" vs. Reality
: The script emphasizes that the law cares for evidence and consistency over the messy, non-linear reality of trauma. The "One in Three" Statistic
: A recurring motif throughout the play, representing the global statistic of women who experience sexual or physical violence. Patriarchal Structure
: Tessa realizes that the entire system—from the police to the judges—is built by and for men, making it nearly impossible for a woman's "word against his" to prevail. Purely Dicta Script Impact & Availability
The play gained massive international recognition during its 2022 West End run and 2023 Broadway run, starring Jodie Comer
Even a perfect prima facie script can collapse. Avoid these errors:
1. Conflating the Script with the Verdict A prima facie case is not a "win." It is merely a ticket to continue the trial. If a judge says you have made a prima facie case, they are saying, "You have enough to survive a motion to dismiss." They are not saying you will win.
2. Forgetting the "Unless" Clause Every prima facie script is conditional. If the defense produces a legitimate affirmative defense (e.g., self-defense, statute of frauds), your prima facie script becomes irrelevant. Always anticipate the rebuttal.
3. The Evidence Gap A script is only words. If you say "Duty exists" but enter no evidence of the relationship (doctor/patient, driver/pedestrian), the judge will strike your script. Script the evidence, not just the rhetoric.
Tessa Ensler is a ruthless, sharp-tongued criminal defense barrister at the top of her game. She lives by the legal principle of prima facie (“on its face”): the evidence, on its surface, determines guilt. She defends men accused of sexual assault, tearing apart victims’ testimonies with surgical precision. “The law is the law,” she insists. “Feelings don’t matter. Facts do.”
Then she is raped by a charming male colleague. Overnight, the hunter becomes the prey. The second half of the play forces Tessa—and the audience—to confront the brutal gap between legal truth and lived experience.
If you need to draft a prima facie script for a brief or oral argument, follow this five-step template.