Prima Facie - V°T//People's Theatre

Suzie Miller's stirring, multi-award-winning monologue about the criminal defense attorney Tessa, who learns that the female experience of sexual violence does not fit into the male-dominated justice system – one of the biggest theater successes of recent years is coming to Vienna! "I just know that somewhere. At some point. Somehow. Something has to change." Tessa is a criminal defense attorney, and her specialty is primarily men who are on trial for sexual assault. She does not have to prove whether the victim consented, but rather that her client did not know there was no consent. And Tessa is very successful in her job. Her advice is sought after among colleagues. Julian from her firm also asks for her help. The two grow closer and have sex, which they both enjoy. But during their next date, something happens: Julian becomes sexually aggressive. And Tessa is faced with the question of how her life should proceed from here. Was it just bad sex while heavily intoxicated – or was it rape? "So much is at stake: my private life, friends, family. My career. Everything, just everything. That scares me." Tessa goes to the police. And she becomes a witness for the prosecution. From now on, she experiences the proceedings in the courtroom from the other side, which changes her perspective on things. For years, since her law studies, the author Suzie Miller had the idea for PRIMA FACIE*. But it was only realized against the backdrop of the global #MeToo movement that began in 2017. The play bridges the gap between art and social change. Because even today, reporting a sexual crime entails attending all court dates: appearing at the indictment, cross-examination, as well as public media coverage – which requires extraordinary courage. And the process of coming to terms with it is long and demands great trust in the justice system. But does this system even deserve that trust? Or does it continue to lead victims of sexual violence to prefer silence? How can, how must society evolve to reform this area? Suzie Miller's stirring monologue premiered in 2019 in Sydney, Australia. In spring 2022, Jodie Comer (KILLING EVE) played the role of Tessa at the National Theatre in London. More than 300,000 viewers saw the play live in cinemas through the broadcast of the National Theatre. It has been awarded the Australia Writers’ Guild Award 2020, the David Williamson Award 2020, and the Olivier Award 2023. Directed by Laura N. Junghanns, who recently directed the world premieres of DER TERMIN based on the novel of the same name by Katharina Volckmer and DIE COUSINEN by Nava Ebrahimi at the Volkstheater. *Prima facie: legal term for "presumption of evidence," "until revoked." Cast with Anna Rieser Directed by Laura N. Junghanns Set design by Michael Sieberock-Serafimowitsch Video art by Max Hammel Collaboration on video art by Lisa Rodlauer Music by HANN Dramaturgy by Ulf Frötzschner