REVIEW: Between laughter and rage, the Huntington Theatre, Alliance Theatre, and Front Porch Arts Collective’s leaves food for thought with ‘Fat Ham’
Whether in a kingdom or a small town, rumors still fly.
However, at this small town barbeque and with the audience as small town witnesses, Juicy has to overcome more than a Fat Ham to make things right within his wild and dysfunctional family.
Based partially on Shakespeare’s classic production Hamlet and conscientiously directed by Stevie Walker-Webb, the Huntington Theatre in association with Alliance Theatre and Front Porch Arts Collective presents James IJames’s semi-interactive dramedy Fat Ham through Sunday, October 29 live and in person at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, MA. This Pulitzer prize-winning show is 90 minutes with no intermission and contains mature themes and strong language. Click here for more information and tickets.
What is refreshing about this contemporary iteration of Hamlet is not only is it much more of a comedy than a tragedy, but it also roots itself far more into the family dynamic than even Shakespeare portrayed. Watching Hamlet, one assumes that the king and his son had a traditional and loving father-son relationship. What if it everything was far more complicated? What if the father is not the model dad that a child grows to admire? Fat Ham bears a resemblance to the classic production in key plot points, but then flips the script and transitions into its own entity that delves into the cycle of intergenerational trauma swinging from ruthless, creepy and suspenseful to not taking itself too seriously.
Rather than Hamlet standing for Juicy, the metaphorical star of this production is just what one roasts during a barbecue, a fat pig as a grill takes center stage. However, there is a struggle of who is king of this house as Juicy’s father has just died and Juicy’s uncle suspiciously soon after marries Juicy’s mom, Tedra.
Fat Ham is humorously set in ‘Virginia or Maryland or Tennessee’ and in a small town where gossip travels fast. Luciana Stecconi’s working class set design boasts tiny, multi-functional and mood setting white lights that adorn a large tree on a dilapidated back porch strewn with arbitrary clothes hanging on a disheveled clothesline. Baby shower balloons, a tire swing, grill and a fire pit surround a half decorated picnic table and chairs. Costume designer Celeste Jennings leans on frenetic colors and patterns to accentuate the essence of each character. Aubrey Dube’s rich sound design, Xiangfu Xiao’s sharp lighting, and Evan Northrup’s amazing illusion design all team up to illustrate some startling, eerie, foreboding, and pivotal revelations.
In some key ways, Fat Ham’s cast improves on the Shakespeare’s classic play and Ijames diligently exposes the hypocrisy of each character. The casting is also particularly astute as Juicy, depicted with timid and burdened inquisitiveness by Marshall W. Mabry IV and Lau’rie Roach portrays lively and wisecracking cousin Tio who buries insightfulness in raunchy humor. Ebony Marshall-Oliver as self centered Tedra still shares a nurturing and sympathetic rapport with Mabry while flaunting spicy swagger with Vincent Ernest Siders as Rev/Pap. A particular scene in which Marshall-Oliver and Mabry both shine is a dynamic musical interlude that shows off their individual charisma and prowess.
Vincent Ernest Siders stepped in as Rev/Pap and punctuates his performance with a domineering sneer as well as savage and manipulative taunting. Victoria Omoregie as Opal and Thomika Marie Bridwell as Rabby deliver a relatable and hilarious mother-daughter relationship while Amar Atkins bears his own burdens as Opal’s seemingly straight laced brother Larry.
Sometimes it takes something big for life to change. Fat Ham explores overcoming betrayal and one’s supposed lot in life against all odds to forge a new path in a crazy world.
Based partially on Shakespeare’s classic production Hamlet and conscientiously directed by Stevie Walker-Webb, the Huntington Theatre in association with Alliance Theatre and Front Porch Arts Collective presents James IJames’s semi-interactive dramedy Fat Ham through Sunday, October 29 live and in person at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, MA. This Pulitzer prize-winning show is 90 minutes with no intermission and contains mature themes and strong language. Click here for more information and tickets.
