In September, Colchester audiences had the rare opportunity of being able to see a screening of a live recording of the award-winning dramatisation of Prima Facie - a hard-hitting one-woman show - starring Jodie Comer (of Killing Eve).
Comer’s performance was incredibly convincing and eye-opening, guaranteeing that few people will walk out of this performance, whether recorded or live, without feeling the heavy emotional impact of Prima Facie.
This play deals with the issue of consent and reveals flaws within the legal system in a realistic and effective way.
“The play stayed with me for days as I reflected on what it said about the justice system, women’s presence in that system but also about privilege and fair play” was what one Colchester audience member found.
Initially, audiences bond with the outgoing personality of Comer’s character but then feel incredible empathy with her increasing distress as the play progresses.
This illustrates perfectly the importance of theatre in creating an impression that would be difficult to achieve via other mediums.
“I have lost my dignity and my sense of self
I have lost my career path, friends, peace of mind, my safety,
the sense of joy in my sexuality. But most of all, I have lost my faith in this, the law, the system I believed would protect me.”- Prima Facie
Prima Facie was brought to both the Odeon and Curzon cinemas through National Theatre Live - a scheme which allows theatre to be more accessible to all - not only through bringing productions to cinemas nationally but also allowing all state schools to have access to streamings of dozens of plays.
This year, the scheme celebrates having shown 100 plays across the country.
This level of accessibility was the outgoing creative director of the National Theatre, Rufus Norris’ aim: to widen the reach of theatre, especially in times when, as ever, the arts are under-appreciated in our society.
Theatre, as an art form, offers a critical way of generating discussion of important issues in a more digestible and engaging format, with Prima Facie being no exception.
This appeals particularly to younger audiences who, through seeing the play, would have been signposted to a national charity that educates young people about consent, which continues to be an issue affecting those of all ages and appears frequently in the media.
Something that is special about the National Theatre Live is its ability to deliver a high quality production and so captivating an experience, that even seeing it in the cinema makes their theatres in London seem not so far away.
Opportunities that National Theatre offers, like plays being available in cinemas overcome the barriers of attending a play live in London, such as time and money.
The National Theatre provides an incredible range of productions, including musicals and comedies (such as Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’, which will be coming to Colchester cinemas in February).
