Der unglaubliche Perspektivenwechsel von Anwältin zu Zeugin im eigenen Fall sexueller Gewalt

Der Text und wie er gelesen ist, ist beides mitreißend, sehr spannend. Es ist ein großartiges Schauspiel für die Ohren und den Geist.

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A mind bending and soul cracking masterpiece

Pooh. Where to begin? I rarely find myself speechless, but after listening to the Prima Facie audiobook the first time I was dumbfounded. By then I knew much of Jodie Comer’s other work, some with similar leanings. High intensity drama depicting abused, traumatized and/or distressed women. It is a common thread, not only in Thirteen, Help, Last Duel, Prima Facie and The End We Start from — even the famed Villanelle’s character ultimately is rooted in neglect, abuse and trauma. I also had seen the play (screen version), and had no doubt at all about Suzie Miller’s exceptional writing prowess. I’m not normally a very weepy person, but the play really got to me, tearing at my heart, the heart of a father of three adolescent girls. The play was brave and necessary. We may have come a long way since the days of „The Last Duel“, the days of Marguerite, but Prima Facie woke me up to the fact that our (Western) societies have become complacent. We are stagnating in many ways, and women’s rights clearly is one of them, a badly stitched up open wound that never completely healed.
Now where they play sent me sobbing now and then, Jodie Comer’s reading of the Novel was, for me at least, yet another level. She said that for her the audiobook was „more intimate“. I presume she refers to the intimacy between her, as an actor, and Tessa, as the character. But for me, the listener, leaning back, headphones on, Jodie Comer became Tessa. In a play, and more so when watching something on screen, there clearly is the here of me as part of the audience and the there of the stage/screen. Listening to the audiobook felt as if a dear friend in deep distress was sitting on the couch, next to me, reluctantly telling me her story. I couldn’t help it, but again and again the thought crept up in me that „this could be one of our girls…“.
I applaud Suzie Miller for the composition of the novel, the slow build-up of Tessa’s background story, her struggle from a working class background to Cambridge and eventually the heights of London courts as a respected top level defense Barrister. She was depicted as a somewhat torn character, at times cocky and arrogant at court, enjoying her victories, her power. Then again the insecure class conscious girl shines through, for example when she visits her mom, bringing her a bottle of Fanta (her favorite drink) as a gift, the mother, remarking „it’s not sugar free“, and Tessa thinks to herself „failure…“. At the same time she is not at all ashamed of her roots (why should she, to begin with?). For example, she keeps her precious Barrister wig, the very symbol of her achievements and social standing, in a Tupperware plastic box she got from her mom. Loved that! By and large she was at ease with herself and her life. She was where she wanted to be and had worked hard to get there. Until „something happened to her.“ For me it was incredibly disconcerting to see confirmed that even the strongest and most successful self made woman, a legal professional all the more, in one of the world’s most progressive countries so quickly can find herself in a situation where she is victimized. She was devastated and completely helpless and all her knowledge and experience at court, where she also had defended sexual offenders, had not prepared her the least bit.
Here again, respect to Suzie Miller for not choosing an easy route. It is not a clear cut case, no attack by a stranger in a park or in a restroom by a brutal colleague she never had much to do with. No. It is more complicated. And that’s the point: it always is! The perpetrator was a person she trusted, a man she did have an affair with, which later was used against her in court. I’m not sure if I should say that, but it struck me as possibly even worse, because she was hurt and brutally abused by someone who she trusted and felt affection for. Someone she had begun to fall in love with suddenly turned into a brutal predator, treating her as a mere „thing“ he could use at will. Tessa was a mere observer to her own unfathomable physical pain, humiliation and helplessness. She experienced mind melting agony, thinking „My body wasn’t mine anymore.“ To add insult to injury, the humiliations surrounding the following investigations, the 2 ½ years waiting time before the court proceedings and the cross examination in court felt mind and soul cracking as well, more part of the abuse than solution, much less salvation.

Here is my personal warning on the label: this is not in any way light entertainment, or entertainment to begin with. High literature hardly ever is. To quote Kafka from memory (our Internet once again is down right now): “A book has to be the axe for the frozen sea inside of us”. Both, the play and the novel, fit that description. I really hope Prima Facie will eventually find a place as mandatory literature in upper level English classes around the world. As my daughters pointed out (referring to philosophy, English and German classes): “We always have to read books by long dead men.” They so have a point!

Conclusion: outstanding writing and composition by Suzie Miller, hugely amplified by Jodie Comer’s acting talent, passion, and her „always give it all“ work attitude. Horizon expanding work. From me 5 stars for every aspect. And thank you, Suzie Miller and Jodie Comer!

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Jodie Comer as Tessa Ensler hits right in the feels

Jodie Comer is simply perfect in this role - I loved her performance in the play and was so so stoked to hear she's narrating the audiobook. Nobody else could've done this fantastic story justice like she has. The way she is able to capture this raw and real emotion, but also that power, is so unique.
But even when taking her brilliance aside, this story is just so mesmerizing, heartwrenching and deeply important. I'm not ashamed to admit that I bawled my eyes out - both while watching the play and while listening to this.

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