Review by Liz Eichler
Fat Ham is running now through September 22 at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. This production brings a modern twist to Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Darnelle Pierre Benjamin directs this bold take on comedy, tragedy, and the complexities of identity, family, and revenge. Audiences will appreciate 1)how it riffs on Hamlet 2)it is the 2022 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama and 3)it features solid direction, performances and design for audiences here in Cincinnati.
Fat Ham is Based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet
James Ijames’ play takes the bones of Hamlet and shakes them up and scatters them into a contemporary, funny, bawdy, poignant family drama set at a Southern backyard BBQ. It celebrates Hamlet, not copying it, and on occasion, celebrates a few of Shakespeare’s lines verbatim. (“There’s the rub”…a winking reference to spice rub and “What a piece of work is a man…” are two examples.)
The story follows Juicy, a queer Black man, who receives a visit by the ghost of his father, demanding vengeance for his death at the hand of his uncle–newly married to Juicy’s mother. Sounds familiar? Like the original Prince of Denmark, Juicy weighs this request as he grapples with his identity and the complex dynamics of his family, and, well, life.
Pulitzer Prize Winner for Drama in 2022
Winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2022, James Ijames’ script was designed for the stage but became a clever fourth-wall breaking stage/film by Wilma Theater in Philadelphia in the spring of 2021 (aka Covid times). The broadcast was praised as “a tragedy smothered in a comedy, “ by Jesse Green of the NYTimes. Its first live performance was at NY Public Theatre in 2022.
The Philadelphian’s script transforms Shakespeare’s Hamlet into a modern parable about resisting cycles of violence and choosing self-acceptance over vengeance. Juicy’s refusal to conform to traditional expectations of masculinity and career choices, becomes a powerful statement on breaking generational curses and finding one’s true self. The familiar cadence of betrayal, ghostly apparitions, and moral dilemmas are all there, but seen through the eyes of Black and queer experiences.
Solid Cast
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s production of Fat Ham is marked by strong performances across the board.
Je’Shaun Jackson as Juicy, delivers a CSC debut performance that balances humor and heartache. This NKU SOTA alum solidly portrays Juicy’s inner turmoil. “This is what I was raised in, pig guts and bad choices.” Jackson’s portrayal is both poignant, comedic, and compelling.
Performances
Marva Williams-Parker’s Tedra, Juicy’s mother, is a force of nature. Alternating between maternal warmth/indulgence and self-interest, she delivers an electric performance. This is another welcome debut to the CSC stage. (This reviewer recalls her lighting up the stage at Human Race Theatre.)
Geoffrey Warren Barnes II delivers an over-the-top performance as Tio, Juicy’s carefree stoner cousin. Barnes’ makes Tio (an abbreviation of Horatio) one of the standout characters due to his comedic timing, energy, and movements. From the beginning lines “You’re carrying around your whole family’s trauma man…you don’t have to let it define you” to the memorable story of a gingerbread man, his character is so well-written that it would resonate with half the energy.
Burgess Byrd slays as Rabby, the Polonius-inspired church-lady friend. Her interactions with Juicy and the other family members reflect not only the surface absurdity of the character, but predicts a past. Byrd does an amazing job at showing the many facets and surprising depth of her endearing character.
Jasimine Bouldin as Opal creates a smouldering loner, on the cusp of being a curmudgeon for life, as she cannot be true to herself and is ready to accept life-long loneliness. What a message.
David Everett Moore shows strength as both Pap (Juicy’s father) and Rev (Juicy’s uncle), and clearly defines them as toxic males. Malik Smith debuts at CSC as Larry. This quiet military man struggles with more than PTSD. Smith goes whole hog at the end, and gives a different meaning to “slaying the cast” at the end of a tragedy.
Direction and Design for Fat Ham
Feeling both deeply personal and universally relatable, Director Benjamin amplifies the humor of the script, mostly without falling into southern accents or stereotypes. The staging effectively utilizes the intimate space, making the audience feel like part of the family gathering, especially when the play breaks the fourth wall. The set design, complete with a functioning BBQ grill, picnic tables, and yard décor, immerses viewers in the world of the play. The only issue is the chaise lounge. While capturing the essence, actors navigate it awkwardly.
The CSC design team delivers, both new contributors and veterans: Scenery (Chris Halloway), clothing (Sabrina Guillaume-Bradshaw), lighting (Jessica Drayton), sound (Derek A. Graham) and props (Robert Carlton Stimmel). Clothes have multiple layers and are highly textured. One of my favorites is Pap’s blood-bedazzled suit.
Also, a shout out to the hard-copy program and its contents, versus just a QR code, giving audiences a choice, both with great background information.
Conclusion
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s production of Fat Ham is a must see, simply for the staging of a Pulitzer Prize winner. It respects its source material (both Hamlet and the Fat Ham script) while daring to reimagine it in a way that is relevant, deep, and entertaining for a wide range of audiences.
Tickets to Fat Ham
This bawdy BBQ twist on Hamlet is a “Meat and 3”–a classic story with plenty of humor, heart, and spicy drama. Catch James Ijames’ Pulitzer Prize winner Fat Ham at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company before it ends on September 22. Click HERE for tickets. NOTE: For Mature Audiences.
RUNNING TIME: 100 minutes, no intermission
