Fat Ham

A New York Times Critics' Pick!

by James Ijames
directed by Morgan Green

April 29 – May 23, 2021

Winner of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Drama!

We will be producing FAT HAM in our 2023-24 Season. LEARN MORE.

A witty take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet where the only death is the patriarchy.

The ghost of Juicy’s dad haunts him and asks for revenge – on Juicy’s uncle, who has now married his widowed mom. Sound familiar? Yes, but… 

Fat Ham is a filmed production of an exciting new play by Wilma Co-Artistic Director James Ijames (Kill Move Paradise). It centers a Black, queer discovery of self, softness, and resilience … at a cookout in the South.

HILARIOUS YET PROFOUNDNew York Times [READ]

UPROARIOUSThe New Yorker [READ]

WATCH THE TRAILER

What does the Hamlet narrative look like if it’s queered, and if it’s infiltrated and taken over by people of color?Playwright James Ijames

‘Fat Ham’ was filmed on location in Virginia following strict health guidelines, in a series of long takes. One view per purchase.

REVIEWS

• “UPROARIOUS” -New Yorker
• “HILARIOUS YET PROFOUND … Fat Ham refuses the tropes of Black suffering even as it engages the seriousness of the Shakespeare. It is the rare takeoff that actually takes off — and then flies in its own smart direction.” -New York Times
• “FUNNY AND INCISIVE … A TOP-NOTCH CAST” -WWFM
• A New Hamlet Centers Black and Queer Characters -ThINKingDANCE
• “A tender and nuanced look at Black family, identity, and humanity” -Broad Street Review 
• “WILDLY INVENTIVE” -The Olympian

IN THE NEWS

• James Ijames on ‘Fat Ham,’ the South, and Embodying the Story -Southern Review of Books
• James Ijames interviewed on the Feed at Night -Fox Soul
• How Philly playwright James Ijames envisioned ‘Fat Ham,’ a Black queer retelling of ‘Hamlet’ -Philadelphia Inquirer
• Brennen S. Malone: Hamming It Up -Philadelphia Gay News
• “Explodes the family drama at a cookout in ways I’ve never before seen onstage nor film” -Philadelphia Inquirer
• Fat Ham puts a contemporary spin on Shakespeare’s classic Hamlet –6ABC
• Putting a Black queer spin on Shakespeare –Philadelphia Gay News

GO BEHIND THE SCENES

• Read the Digital Fat Ham Program
• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Black and Global Majority Artists, Theatremakers, and Emotional Labor
• Inside the Fat Ham film shoot
• Back Stage Banter with Fat Ham Playwright James Ijames

DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE

CLICK HERE TO REQUEST A STUDENT/INDUSTRY DISCOUNT

CLICK HERE TO REQUEST A DISCOUNT WITH YOUR PA ACCESS CARD

LEARN MORE ABOUT STREAMING

Click here to learn more about streaming our shows to your devices

INFORMATION FOR EDUCATORS

We offer discounted tickets for student groups, and our education department will provide interested teachers with resources such as our education guide and virtual post-show visits from actors. Contact Group Sales Manager Sarah Blask at sblask@wilmatheater.org for more information.

CAPTIONS & AUDIO DESCRIPTION

Closed captioning – in both English and Spanish – are available on the player for this video. An audio described version is also available.

Subtítulos cerrados, tanto en inglés como en español. Traducción de Fernando Méndez. (Gracias por su paciencia mientras trabajamos para proporcionar traducciones para nuestro sitio web. Ver nuestro sitio web en Español con Google Translate.)

CHECK OUT THE FAT HAM SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

Special thanks to SAG-AFTRA