Having read a plethora of glowing reviews, I can’t recall the last time I walked into a theatre with higher expectations.

• “One of the all-time great performances” – Sydney Morning Herald
• “Magnificent from start to finish” – Limelight 
• “I doubt you will see a better piece of theatre this year…or maybe even this decade.” – Theatre Travels

RBG: Of Many, One, which is soon to end its sold-out Sydney season before coming to Wollongong, truly is one of those plays that gets you in from the get-go, and then never lets you go.

It’s the story of an incredible woman, Ruth Bader Ginsberg (known to her friends as RBG), her inspiring rise to the highest office in the American judiciary, the complex decisions she grappled with during that period, and the numerous civil rights causes she defended. At the same time, this is a dioramic study of the power of the individual in society, and the changing attitudes toward representation and inclusion over the past 50 years.

Written by Suzie Miller, an Australian lawyer turned playwright who also wrote Prima Facie, RBG: Of Many, One is a compelling one-woman play that honours the life of Ginsberg who served under four US presidents. Amongst the play’s many highlights is the remarkable Heather Mitchell’s ability to cover the life of Ginsberg from the ages of 13 to 87 and her conversations with three of the presidents (Clinton, Obama and Trump) who she served under during her 27 years on the Supreme Court bench.

During her one hour, 40 minutes on what is a largely bare stage, Mitchell is in total command, sharing with the audience the biggest legal and social justice challenges Ginsberg faced while taking us on a roller-coaster journey of emotions.

The story of how Mitchell landed the role is itself quite remarkable. As she told me, she and playwright Suzie Miller were long-time friends. Their children had gone to school together.

“We were having a cuppa on her balcony one day and talking about Ruth who had recently died. I told Suzie, ‘I’d just love to play her’ and Suzie said, ‘OK, I’ll write you a show.’ Two or three months later she presented me with a draft and I’m so very grateful for that. It’s a great joy.”

Preparing for 100 minutes alone on stage with very little time to take a break as you weave through more than seven decades of RBG’s life sounds like the most daunting of challenges, but Mitchell makes it look easy, especially after the countless hundreds of hours of preparation and rehearsals. She still listens constantly to the voices of Ginsberg and surrounds herself with RBG’s quotes and images in her dressing room.

“On stage, of course, it’s really about concentration and you can’t let your mind wander for a single second.”

Mitchell puts the success of the play down to how so many of the issues dealt with by Ginsberg resonate with Australian audiences, especially related to women’s rights and fertility rights in particular.

“So many of her dissenting judgements and the issues she fought for are totally relevant to our society and how we live here.”

While the play covers so much ground, as a non-lawyer I was relieved at how accessible it was to the untrained. Mitchell believes this is one of the show’s strengths “both that mixture of its accessibility and the use of humour throughout”.

Having won a Silver Logie and many other awards here and in the United States over her long and distinguished career, Michell believes this role is something extra special. “It certainly is a high point for me, not just because of the woman it’s about…it’s one of the most treasured things I’ve done. And of course, being alone on stage is something quite unique.”

She also paid tribute to the team who’ve worked so hard to bring RBG: Of Many, One to life. “Everyone has put their heart and soul into it.”

Director Priscilla Jackman says “…we hope this production offers personal insight into the continued relevance of RBG’s wisdom and provocation for our world. Through the work we are reminded of the deeply progressive catalyst for steadfast change that RBG represents, and the need for vigilance in continuing her fight for justice, equality, understanding, compassion, and human connection.”

As powerful and impactful as Suzie Miller’s words are on the page, it’s the mastery of Mitchell and her ability to immerse herself totally – and given the complexity of the role with incredible ease – into the Ginsberg character that makes this play something out of the ordinary and a must-watch. This is character acting par excellence.

RBG: of Many, One is now touring Australia and plays at Wollongong’s IMB Theatre from 3-6 April. It deserves to attract similar sold-out audiences to its recent Sydney Opera House season.

Book tickets via Merrigong.