Last week I read the novel Prima Facie by Suzie Miller and had the privilege of attending RBG: Of Many, One written by the same author.
Performed at the Drama Theatre of the Sydney Opera House by the extraordinarily talented actor Heather Mitchell, RBG: Of Many, One is a one-woman play about Ruth Bader Ginsberg who devoted her legal career to fighting for women’s rights and rose to become a judge of the Supreme Court in the USA.
Suzie Miller’s experience as a barrister and her admiration for Ruth Bader Ginsberg infuse this remarkable play. Her skills as a playwright have resulted in a beautifully structured piece which had me on the edge of my seat throughout and on my feet at the end for a standing ovation.
Prima Facie, Suzie Miller’s 2023 novel, demonstrates the same strengths as the play, RBG: Of Many, One. The novel is based on her current one-woman play, Prima Facie, which won the 2019 Griffin Award in Australia and has been such a hit in the West End and on Broadway.
The novel tells the story of Tessa Esler, a young London-based barrister who specialises in criminal law. In many of her cases, she successfully defends alleged perpetrators of sexual assault. Through her intelligence and hard work, Tessa worked her way up from humble beginnings into the top realms of the law.
When Tessa herself is raped, such is her faith in the law as a path to justice, she decides to bring the matter to court. Her interactions with police, forensic pathologists, solicitors, and barristers during this process bring Tessa face to face with the other side of a system she thinks she knows well. She is now a victim and emotionally involved. Every aspect of her life is affected. The novel ends with the court case during which Tessa submits to cross-examination.
Suzie Miller’s clear and unadorned prose makes Prima Facie an easy read. The steadily rising tension in the lead up to the court case makes the book difficult to put down. Thrilling and disturbing, this novel left me with a greater knowledge about how courts work and an admiration for the main character, who like the many women in the #MeToo movement, had the bravery to stand up and seek justice.
Listen to this post here:
