NORPA (Northern Rivers Performing Arts) has announced a region wide season of its production of Prima Facie, Suzie Miller’s internationally acclaimed play that has gripped audiences from Sydney to the West End and Broadway. This searing and timely production will tour to six destinations across the Northern Rivers this summer.
Written by Australian playwright Suzie Miller (RBG: Of Many One, Inter Alia) and starring acclaimed actor Matilda Ridgway (Belvoir’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), Prima Facie is a fearless exploration of truth, power and justice. Combining sharp legal insight with raw emotional depth, the play exposes a system that continues to fail women seeking justice.
Since its 2019 premiere, Prima Facie has become a global phenomenon, earning Olivier and Tony Awards for its West End and Broadway seasons.
Under the direction of Heather Fairbairn, NORPA will stage its version of this internationally celebrated work to Northern Rivers audiences for the first time.
“Prima Facie is a play that demands to be heard – it’s raw, urgent, and virtuosic. Sharing this story here, across our Northern Rivers community, feels powerful and necessary – a chance for us to sit together in the courage, the rage, and the possibility of change,” said director Heather Fairbairn.
An original NORPA production, Prima Facie will tour to Byron Bay, Tweed Heads, Murwillumbah, Kyogle, Grafton and Lismore throughout February 2026 as part of The Village Circuit; NORPA’s new annual summer initiative connecting towns across the region through live performance.
“The Village Circuit is NORPA’s new way of sharing theatre more widely. A summer tour that links our towns and centres through powerful, professional live performances,” said NORPA Artistic Director, Julian Louis.
“The Village Circuit is about bringing exceptional theatre to the heart of the Northern Rivers, giving everyone the chance to experience world class storytelling close to home.”
“It’s our new summer offering: each year, a different production will travel through the region, creating a cultural trail that celebrates who we are, where we live, and how art can bring us together,” said Louis.
NORPA will present Suzie Miller’s Prima Facie at the Byron Theatre (12 – 14 February), Tweed Heads Civic Centre (19 February), Murwillumbah Civic Centre (20 February), Kyogle Memorial Hall (21 February), Saraton Theatre, Grafton (25 February) and Star Court Theatre, Lismore (27 – 28 February). For more information, visit: www.norpa.org.au for details.
Image: Matilda Ridgway – photo by Brett Boardman | editing by Rachelle Blake