Review: FAT HAM Presented by Goodman Theatre and Definition Theatre

Before sitting down at the opening night of FAT HAM at the Goodman on Tuesday night, I asked my guest if he was familiar at all with the plot of Shakespeare’s HAMLET. He was not, he admitted sheepishly. I was worried that this would dampen his enjoyment of James Ijames’s 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning play given that it is a modern retelling of HAMLET set in a mid-Atlantic Black household. But any fears were quickly abated if his constant smiling and laughter are to be believed. The Goodman’s FAT HAM is an intelligent, uproarious adaptation that explores and celebrates Black joy and resilience. The co-production with Definition Theatre has already been extended through March 2.

For those who have encountered HAMLET (or even The Lion King) at some point in their high school or college careers, the plot of FAT HAM will feel both familiar and entirely new. The play’s protagonist, a young queer Black man named Juicy (Trumane Alston), is still reeling from the mysterious murder of his father Pap (Ronald L. Conner) in prison. More troubling, his mother Tedra (Anji White) has already married Pap’s brother Rev (also Conner) before the funeral meats have had enough time to spoil. When Pap’s ghost appears to Juicy and tells him that Rev is responsible for his death, the grieving son grapples with questions of morality and existentialism as he debates if he’s going to follow his father’s calls for vengeance.

But this is no mere straightforward adaptation; Ijames’s script and this production are at their most brilliant when they break Shakespeare’s mold, focusing on the themes and questions most pertinent to American Black life. Instead of monologues questioning the existence of purgatory, Juicy wonders if the cycles of intergenerational Black trauma can ever be broken. Instead of Ophelia’s madness over Hamlet’s rejection, her counterpart Opal (a delightfully fierce Ireon Roach) rejects patriarchal standards of dress and attitude to assert her independence.

Which isn’t to say that FAT HAM doesn’t respect its source material. Ijames borrows many of the dramatic conventions of Shakespeare’s time, such as emotionally wrought soliloquies, asides to the audience, and even musical interludes. Even the stagecraft involved in the appearance of ghosts is clever even if it appears obvious after the fact (the intricately detailed set design is by Arnel Sancianco). And it’s a testament to Tyrone Phillips’s skills as a director that these moments feel so natural that they actively invite the audience into the world and meaning-making of the play.

There can be no doubt, though, that Phillips owes a great deal of this success to his multi-talented cast. Alston excels not only as a comedic actor but also one capable of great emotional depth as well. He channels Hamlet’s anguish without ever losing the biting sense of irony so common among queer communities seeking to thrive under oppressive conditions. It’s also worth noting that he gives a stirring karaoke performance about halfway through the show, but to say more would spoil some of the fun. White similarly balances humor and pathos as Tedra, her marital excitement and unabashed sensuality undercut by her clear concern for a son who doesn’t seem to fit into the world her generation has created for him.

Conner may pull double duty as Pap and his scheming brother Rev, but his performance emphasizes that the two men are more alike than not, driven by barely-concealed rage and a toxic sense of masculinity that threatens to tear their world apart with their focus on violence and vengeance. The destructive effect of these forces shows itself most clearly in the character of Larry (Sheldon Brown), a version of HAMLET’s Laertes who has recently returned home from a tour of duty with the Marines. Brown’s characterization has a powerful force behind it, but it’s in his moments of tenderness and sensitivity that his talents—and the play’s emotional payoffs—most clearly shine through.

But FAT HAM is perhaps first and foremost a comedy, and this cast palpably hits every laugh line with precision and skill. As Rabby, FAT HAM’s intrusive auntie who stands in for Polonius, E. Faye Butler nearly steals the show with hilarious ad-libs that consistently surprise while still fitting squarely within the world of the play. And Victor Musoni, as Juicy’s Best Friend and confidante Tio, has a refreshingly clownish energy reminiscent of Shakespeare’s most famous fools.

All in all, Godman’s collaboration with Definition has produced a rousing rendition of a new American classic, one that deeply touches the heart as much as it does the funny bone. No previous knowledge of HAMLET required.

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