EXCLUSIVE: Jodie Comer starred in one-woman play Prima Facie and won a slew of major awards.
The actress is now narrating an audiobook based on the stage show’s eponymous novel. The audiobook, which comes from Macmillan Audio, comes out on January 30. Suzie Miller, Prima Facie’s playwright, adapted it for the page.
It comes after Comer won both Best Actress at the Laurence Olivier Awards and Best Actress in a Play at the Tony Awards for her performance. The play debuted at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London before transferring to Broadway.
Prima Facie follows Tessa Ensler, played by Comer, a brilliant barrister who’s forged her career in criminal defence through sheer determination. Since her days at Cambridge, she’s carefully disguised her working class roots in a male-dominated world where who you know is just as important as what you know. Driven by her belief in the right to a fair trial and a taste for victory, there’s nothing Tessa loves more than the thrill of getting her clients acquitted.
It seems like Tessa has it made when she is approached for a new job and nominated for the most prestigious award in her field. But when a date with a charismatic colleague goes horribly wrong, Tessa finds that the rules she’s always played by might not protect her, forcing her to question everything she’s ever believed in.
Comer, who is starring in upcoming films The End We Start From and The Bikeriders, “It has been an absolute joy to return to Tessa’s story whilst recording this audiobook. My hope is that it will reach the widest number of people, perhaps who weren’t able to see the play. I’ve personally enjoyed delving into her story again and am excited for audiences to experience this further exploration gifted to us by the wonderful Suzie Miller.”
Suzie Miller added, “I’m absolutely delighted that Jodie Comer is reprising the role of Tessa Ensler in the novel of Prima Facie. Her incomparable talent, passion and conviction were instrumental to making the play a success and I know she will bring the same dedication to storytelling to bring Tessa to life in the novel. I couldn’t think of a better person to read the audiobook and am so grateful to her for believing so much in this character and this work.”
