What’s fascinating is that seeing the play either live or on the screen inspires viewers not only to reflect, but also to act. Remarkably, it has led to lasting and ongoing real-world change.
“Through NT Live and NT at Home, we have made it possible for over half a million people to see Jodie Comer’s peerless performance and experience the power of this remarkable play,” says Kate Varah, executive director of the NT. “It simply wouldn’t be possible to reach these numbers in a theatre. This accessibility allows the powerful stories told through theatre to drive real-world change.”
For one thing, it has inspired numerous women to find their own voice. “Women who had never spoken about a rape perpetrated against them found courage to tell their close people and many gave evidence to law enforcement,” playwright Suzie Miller tells us. “I know Jodie Comer and the producers join me in the humbling experience of reading so many messages of individual life changing experiences that came about after watching the play live or on NT Live.”
So many women reached out about the life-changing impact of the play, the film’s producer, James Bierman, reached out to Everyone’s Invited, a charity that offers a safe space for victims of sexual assault to share their stories.
“The act of watching Prima Facie enables and encourages survivors to confront and share their own real-world experiences, helping individuals have the confidence to share their stories and underlining the need for a safe space for survivors,” says Soma Sara, Founder of Everyone’s Invited.
But the play has also inspired changes to the system itself.
The filmed version of the play is now being used for judicial education in a number countries. It’s included as a module for secondary school consent education. It is used as an education tool in continuing education of various parts of the UK Police force. It has even been used as source in legal changes here in the UK.
“A Northern Ireland-born High Court Judge at the Old Bailey had the influence to include a viewing of the NT Live version of the play be mandatory viewing for judges in Northern Ireland,” says Miller. “Another Judge called me to say after seeing the play live she had redrafted the direction to the jury on rape law incorporating some of the language and messages of the play.”
The play has also led to the creation of TESSA (The Examination of Serious Sexual Assault Law) by four London barristers, as Miller says, “to interrogate how they can contribute their knowledge to changing the law from within.”
Kate Parker, a former barrister and founder of the Schools Consent Project, has used the play as part of her work to educate young people about the nuances of consent.
“As far as the Schools Consent Project is concerned, Prima Facie has been transformative,” she says. “Since the play’s first run in London in 2022, we have seen a 52% yearly rise in workshops, which means 245 additional consent workshop were delivered to approximately 8,500 young people. This brings our total number to 55,000 students educated about consent.”
Parker also launched a New York branch of the charity when the play travelled to Broadway. “We’ve now taught consent to over 5000 students in NYC, including in Spanish. We’ve fundraised over £150,000 globally as a direct result of the play.”