After earning accolades on London’s West End and Broadway, Prima Facie is set to return to its Sydney roots in July 2025. Presented by Black Swan State Theatre Company, this new production – directed by Kate Champion and starring Sof Forrest – will be staged at Carriageworks from 2 to 12 July.
Prima Facie, written by Suzie Miller, has become a lightning rod for conversation since its 2019 premiere, collecting honours such as the 2023 Olivier Award for Best New Play and multiple Australian Writers’ Guild Awards. The play’s impact continues to ripple outward, with translations in more than 20 languages and a film adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo currently underway. It is another exemplar of Australian-borne productions that shine on the international stage.
At its core, Prima Facie follows Tessa, a defence barrister who has built her career around courtroom victories and dissecting evidence – often in cases defending men accused of sexual assault. When her own life takes a sharp turn and she finds herself on the witness stand, Tessa is forced to confront the same system she has long navigated with such skill. The play interrogates the burdens placed on women within the legal system and issues a passionate call for reform.
As part of this season, Carriageworks has partnered with Teach Us Consent, a youth-led organisation committed to eradicating sexual violence and promoting equality. Together, they will offer resources for audiences to further engage with the play’s challenging themes, equipping viewers with tools to continue important discussions long after the curtain falls. Prima Facie headlines Carriageworks’ Winter program, which also features new Australian works such as Trophy Boys, the Sydney Chamber Opera’s world premiere of Aphrodite, and Australian Dance Theatre’s Marrow, alongside Vivid Sydney events.
Director Kate Champion, reflecting on the return of Prima Facie to Sydney, remarked on the play’s enduring resonance:
Bringing Prima Facie back to Sydney, where it first premiered, is profoundly significant. The play has resonated with audiences around the world, sparking urgent conversations about justice and systemic change. To now reimagine it here, in the city where it all began, is a full-circle moment – one that underscores the ongoing relevance and power of Suzie Miller’s story.
Sof Forrest, who reprises the role of Tessa after its Western Australia run, shared:
I am honoured to return to Tessa, she has been the greatest challenge of my career to date, and I am so excited to dive back into this powerful story. Prima Facie forces us to reckon with the complexities of justice, power, and truth, her deeply personal transformation I hope charges our audience to continue the conversation of consent and bettering our system to support survivors long after this show ends.
Tickets to this 2025 Australian production of Prima Facie, can be purchased via the CarriageWorks website.
