After a celebrated, sold-out national tour, RBG: Of Many, One arrives in Adelaide with both weight and momentum and it more than delivers. This powerful one-woman work, commissioned by Sydney Theatre Company, brings to life the legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg with intelligence, nuance, and striking theatricality.

At the centre of it all is Heather Mitchell, whose performance is nothing short of extraordinary. Tasked with embodying one of the most formidable legal minds of the 20th century, Mitchell rises to the challenge with a portrayal that is both technically masterful and deeply human. Her ability to traverse Ginsburg’s life, from youthful determination to her later years on the U.S. Supreme Court, is seamless. Shifts in age, tone, and emotional register are handled with such precision that the audience is never in doubt; this is a virtuosic performance in every sense.

Miller’s script deftly navigates the complexity of Ginsburg’s life and career. It moves between landmark cases, personal reflections, and the broader socio-political landscape, allowing us to see not just the icon, but the individual behind the cultural phenomenon. The play resists flattening Ginsburg into the familiar “Notorious RBG” meme, instead offering a portrait of a woman defined by intellect, resilience, and a quiet but unyielding determination to reshape the law.

What is particularly compelling is the intimacy of the staging. The audience is brought into the room at pivotal moments, legal arguments, private conversations, and internal reckonings, creating a sense of proximity to history in the making. The production honours both Ginsburg’s monumental achievements and the personal costs that accompanied them.

Mitchell handles this material with remarkable delicacy, ensuring that each moment lands with clarity and respect. There is strength here, certainly, but also vulnerability and wit, qualities that remind us why Ginsburg’s legacy endures so powerfully.

This is a one-woman show that mirrors the strength and character of its subject: rigorous, commanding, and deeply affecting. RBG: Of Many, One is more than a biographical retelling; it is a celebration of persistence, principle, and the enduring fight for equality.

A must-see.

Play by Suzie Miller, presented by State Theatre Company South Australia until the 2nd May
Tickets: https://statetheatrecompany.com.au/shows/rbg-of-many-one/