Rosamund Pike in Inter Alia [Manuel Harlan]

FOLLOWING their acclaimed production of Prima Facie, starring Jodie Comer, writer Suzie Miller and director Justin Martin reunite for Inter Alia, which again scrutinises our justice system from a female perspective.

“Inter Alia” is a legal term meaning among other things. In Miller’s layered play Rosamund Pike plays Jessica Parks, a high-flying crown court judge, wife, and mother. She juggles the demands of her high-powered job with marriage to barrister Michael (Jamie Glover) and raising their only child, Harry (Jasper Talbot), a vulnerable teenager.

At the start, the two men in her life accompany Jessica on drums and guitar, underscoring their family bond. Jessica regularly confronts entrenched sexism at work, and finds release in weekly karaoke nights with friends.

The challenge of balancing her career and parenting is painfully brought home during a harrowing episode in the park when, distracted by a work call, she momentarily fears she has lost a younger Harry.

As he approaches adolescence, Jessica worries about Harry’s moral compass – particularly given the ubiquity of online porn. In a bittersweet exchange she tackles him about this, but a later revelation suggests she hasn’t fully considered the weight of peer pressure.

When 18-year-old Harry is accused of rape, Jessica and Michael want to protect their son at all costs. They are confident that they can see him through this ordeal. They have money, access to the best lawyers and understand the legal terrain.

Jessica knows that rape convictions are rare because the prosecution has the burden of proof. But she hasn’t accounted for Harry’s own moral reckoning.

Pike gives a stunning performance in Martin’s slick production. Miriam Buether’s set and Natasha Chivers’ lighting cleverly blur the lines between courtroom, home, and the shadowy woods beyond, reflecting the play’s central tensions.

Unmissable.

Until September 13
nationaltheatre.org.uk