Fat Ham: A Success at the Wilbury!

The Wilbury Theatre Group presents James Ijames’ Fat Ham, directed by John Mays. Ijames writes, in my opinion, a perfect adaptation. In doing so, he has altered my perspective on the multifaceted definition of the term and all it represents. This review contains spoilers, so if you are interested in attending Fam Ham come back once you’ve seen it! I urge you to do so!

Juicy’s family is steeped in a history of butchering pigs, which in turn reflects a deeper history of violence and generational trauma. When Juicy’s ghostly father visits him at his mother and uncle’s wedding, urging him to kill his uncle, Juicy is faced with conflicting values: those of his father, and his own. 

Ijames’ depiction of Gertrude was also wonderful. Slut-shamed throughout high school classrooms and literary critiques, Fat Ham’s Gertrude begins by playing into the stereotype. Dancing provocatively with Claudius and making constant references to their intimate life feels disrespectful to Juicy, as his mother and uncle have quickly taken to one another following his father’s death in prison. However, Gertrude delightfully stands up for herself by breaking the fourth wall and directly addressing how audiences might be pigeonholing her as “trashy.” She explains that she’s much, much more than that, and from this moment we are given a new perspective on Gertrude’s victimization. She tells us that she went directly from living with her father to living with her husband, and the fact that she is unaccustomed to loneliness has driven her so quickly to Claudius. We also see how she has experienced physical, verbal, and possibly sexual abuse, by both brothers. In Hamlet, Gertrude is confined to Hamlet’s biased and angsty perspective, leading audiences to stereotype her as they follow her son’s story. Fam Ham, though, gives Gertrude the agency to speak for herself, actually sharing her experience and removing Juicy from Hamlet’s indulgent, self-victimizing tirade.

Domestic abuse is also a striking addition to this adaptation. As a theatrical device, this adds friction to Juicy’s decision and forces him to ask questions. Was his father a good person? A good father? Is his father worth avenging? Ultimately, should Juicy sacrifice his own life and his personal values to avenge his father? This is much more than a theatrical device, though, and it honestly reflects on the complicated familial relationships which are often plagued by abuse, as well as the struggle that victims face between enforced familial loyalty and the trauma they’ve endured. On a literal level, surrounding the adaptation from Hamlet to Fat Ham, I believe this was an incredibly intelligent decision which blends perfectly into the story. It is much more than that, though, and I learned a great deal from the play.

There was one other striking moment which was unique to the performance I attended. The Wilbury Theatre Group shares a space with the Waterfire Arts Center, which often holds events during showtimes. This is the second play I’ve attended at the Wilbury that has been unfortunately underscored by the pop music playing next door. Normally I don’t mind, but this moment was special. Juicy and Larry, alone together, were expressing their feelings for one another. Larry, who is closted, is clearly scared but takes a leap of faith by confiding in Juicy. As the two hold hands, standing back to back, Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” comes softly through the walls. It was a really powerful moment, one which was completely unique to that performance. I was lucky to have witnessed it. 

Fat Ham was also full of comedic moments. There was a perfect balance between seriousness and fun, once which flowed in an appropriate and thoughtful way. The acting was fantastic, and my group was grateful to meet some of the actors after the performance! The cast captivated us throughout the play's entire run, and I was delighted by the many varying dynamics which existed between different characters. I especially loved that between Juicy and Opal. Both actors gave performances that hilarious, profound, and engaging.

There are so many other aspects of Fat Ham that I’d love to discuss, but I think I’ll conclude my writeup with this: James Ijames’ Fat Ham was a successfully holistic play, providing audiences with both an entertaining watch and a thought-provoking, intellectual adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic. The Wilbury Theatre Group is yet again successful not only in producing an awesome play, but also in cultivating a wonderful community of artists in Providence. If you haven’t had the opportunity of attending a production there, I urge you to do so!