James Ijames's 'Fat Ham' ingeniously reinvents Shakespeare's Hamlet through the story of Juicy, a queer Black college student who confronts the ghost of his father and the turmoil of familial expectations. Set against the backdrop of a vibrant Southern barbecue, the play dives into Juicy's struggle to navigate his identity amidst cycles of trauma and violence. As he seeks liberation and grapples with themes of love, loss, and self-awareness, 'Fat Ham' stands out as a powerful narrative that resonates beyond traditional interpretations of the classic tragedy, earning the esteemed 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
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.
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