James Ijames's Fat Ham creatively reinvents Shakespeare's Hamlet, focusing on Juicy, a queer Southern college student confronted by his father's ghost. This dramatic twist involves Juicy grappling with identity, trauma, and a quest for liberation amid familial violence. The play's backdrop—a lively family barbecue—provides a contrasting setting for its deeper exploration of themes like love, loss, and self-awareness. Recognized with the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Fat Ham presents a poignant and humorous reflection on contemporary issues around race and masculinity, effectively bridging classical literature with modern experiences.
"James Ijames's outstanding transformation of Shakespeare's tragedy into a play about Black masculinity and queerness both echoes Hamlet and finds a language beyond it."
"From an uproarious family barbecue emerges a compelling examination of love and loss, pain and joy."
Collection
[
|
...
]