Live and in person at the Berkeley Street Theatre, Toronto, Ont. Produced by Canadian Stage Company. Playing until March 16, 2025.
Written by James Ijames
Directed by Philip Akin
Choreographer, Jaz Fairy J
Set by Brandon Kleiman
Costumes by Ming Wong
Lighting by Andre du Toit
Projection design by Laura Warren
Sound by Jacob Lin
Cast: David Alan Anderson
Raven Dauda
Nehassaiu deGannes
Peter Fernandes
Virgilia Griffith
Tawiah M’Carthy
Tony Ofori
The Story. James Ijames’ 2022 Pulitzer Prize winning play is a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, set in the United States. It concerns a Black family. Juicy is in mourning for his dead father, Pap. He was murdered while he was in prison. Juicy is also reluctantly pulled into blowing up balloons for decorations for his mother Tedra’s second marriage to his uncle Rev. While Juicy is alone in the family’s backyard, he is visited by his father’s ghost who wants revenge. Pap tells Juicy that Rev was the one who arranged for Pap to be murdered in prison. Pap expects Juicy to revenge the murder. Juicy has other ideas. Expectations are one of the themes of the play.
The Production. The whole physical design of the backyard of this family home is eye-popping. Andre du Toit’s lighting is blazing bright suggesting it’s an eye-squinting sunny day. Brandon Kleiman’s has designed the colourful backyard with the modest back of the house. The balloons that are suspended over the green grass are almost neon in colour. There is a large table that will accommodate the family and friends for the dinner that will celebrate Tedra’s (Raven Dauda) and Rev’s (David Alan Anderson) marriage. A monster bar-b-q is off to the left of that. Rev will do the cooking on that machine.
Costume designer, Ming Wong, has dressed almost everybody in casual colourful clothes for this ‘happy’ occasion. Tedra, an exuberant performance by Raven Dauda, is dressed provocatively. This is a woman that is sexually charged and raring to go on her second marriage. David Alan Anderson as Rev is equally as game. The tactile, seductive body language is clear. Tedra and Rev were getting it on while Pap was in prison. David Alan Anderson as Rev is imposing, confident, intimidating and take charge. Together Tedra and Rev give new meaning to the word ‘selfish’. They intend to pay for their celebrations and the renovations of the bathroom (Rev hates that it’s all pink), by using the money meant for Juicy’s tuition.
While playwright James Ijames has used Shakespeare’s Hamlet as a framework for Fat Ham, Ijames’ play goes in its own direction. Rather than being a play about seeking revenge by a brooding man, Fat Ham is a play about people hiding their true selves to conform to the expectations of others. In their more private moments various characters quietly confess their inner hopes to those they trust.
Juicy, beautifully played by Peter Fernandes, is still the play’s center. He is the one in mourning—dressed in black: long black baggy shorts, black t-shirt and black shirt. He blows up balloons as a duty. He stands off from the action, observing the others. When the ghost of his father appears to him Juicy is not cowed by the command to seek revenge. He tells his father he is/was not a nice man. Pap didn’t treat Juicy well; always denigrating him for being ‘soft.’ So Juicy is faced with two dilemmas: to revenge his father’s murder and to reveal his true self.
Other characters struggle under the yoke of expectations. It’s expected that Opal (Virgilia Griffith), Juicy’s childhood friend, will be demure, dress in dresses and naturally marry Juicy. In reality Opal likes wearing pants and practicing martial arts. Virgilia Griffith plays Opal with a gentle sadness and a muscularity when kicking and punching her way through a martial arts routine. Larry (Tawiah M’Carthy) is Opal’s brother. He is in the military and looks strapping in his form-fitting uniform. He is the ideal, dutiful son, the pride of his mother. And he too has secrets. Tawiah M’Carthy observes the goings on with a contained grace and a hint of distain for the raucous activity. Some characters are allowed to flaunt their sensuality and behaviour while others have to keep parts of themselves a secret. With his sensitive, careful direction, Philip Akin gradually peels off the layers hiding in the characters and the play. Akin realizes the obvious humour but balances it with the more somber aspects of the characters. And there is danger lurking too, so the audience is often caught off balance.
Comment. Playwright James Ijames has created a bracing, inventive play that uses Hamlet as a framework, but is not affixed to it. He uses stereotypes that are bold; language that is irreverent and particular and humour that makes one laugh out loud. The play is both familiar and startling. Do you need to know the play Hamlet to appreciate Fat Ham? Not really, but knowing Hamlet adds a layer of knowledge that deepens the pleasure of Fat Ham.
A Canadian Stage Production
Plays until March 16, 2025.
Running time: 100 minutes (no intermission)