Review: Fat Ham (Swan Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

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To see or not to see Hamlet – that is rarely the question, as productions of Shakespeare’s tragedy are almost always within reach, perhaps more so than usual at the moment with upcoming productions at Chichester Festival Theatre and London’s National Theatre. If you're craving a different take on the story, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Fat Ham has transferred to the UK for a run in Shakespeare’s birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon. Having won critical acclaim off-Broadway, the question now is whether it will be as warmly received in Britain, or not to be.

Delivering a take on Hamlet like you have never seen before, Fat Ham takes the essence of the story and turns it on its head. Focused on a queer, Southern college kid named Juicy, the action takes place at a barbecue in his backyard as he prepares to celebrate the nuptials of his mother to his uncle. Things take a surprising turn when the ghost of his dead father shows up to demand Juicy avenge his murder. From then on, it’s a story of secrets, revelations, and discovering your own identity that isn’t afraid to veer from the source material, determined to carve up its own path rather than stick to the tried and tested story.

James Ijames' layered writing thrills from the first moment, quickly luring the audience in with wit, humour, and sharp writing. This continues throughout the entire singular act of the play, with many a laugh-out-loud moment, found both in the comparisons to Hamlet and in the standalone nature of this story. It is Ijames's ability to flesh out the characters and make these contrasting personalities elevate the story in electrifying ways that make Fat Ham such a captivating watch, but there is more to this than simply humour. The narrative of identity is among the most serious of the topics explored here, with sexuality being the most prevalent. Throughout the course of the play, characters discover their wants, needs, and themselves, much to the disapproval of some of their family. These characters' unflinching resolve and determination to be who they want, regardless of this, is a perfect metaphor for Fat Ham, which uses Hamlet merely as inspiration but refuses to follow the text to the grave, instead opting to ask “What if everyone didn’t die?”. Think &Juliet, but without any Backstreet Boys songs, and you get the idea.

The fourth wall is obliterated in this production, with characters addressing the audience directly, swiftly followed by the repeated utterance from another of “What you tell them?” The audience feel part of the action as we get to know these characters, and whether this is through the dialogue or them interacting (and scolding) audience members as they clear the stage towards the climax, this adds to the charm. This is the case for all apart from one moment where the audience are instructed to clap to chase away a ghost, which all felt a bit pantomime and, dare I say, reductive, paling in comparison to the rest of the material that had proven consistently strong up until that point.

Several key moments of dialogue from the original Hamlet are inserted into Fat Ham in clever and often hilarious ways, with “There’s the rub” particularly tickling me. However, if you are looking for them to say the most iconic line from the play, it is not to be. I got the sense that upon deciding which text from Hamlet to include, Ijames thought long and hard about what would work and also what was going to surprise audience members more. It would have been easy to shoehorn “Get thee to a nunnery” in there somewhere, but rather than go for the low-hanging fruit, Ijames opted for more unexpected moments in a brilliant fusion of modern language and Shakespeare’s writing. Full of surprises, one funny comparison is the inclusion of a Radiohead number, coming mere months after the RSC staged another new take on Hamlet, to the soundtrack of Radiohead’s music. It feels like they are becoming as synonymous with this story as the Bard himself.

Equally as impressive as the writing is the direction of the play. Originally directed by Saheem Ali and directed by Sideeq Heard for this production, the rather intimate space of The Swan Theatre at the RSC is played perfectly, with the stage transformed into Juicy’s backyard with an abundance of props (causing a couple of mishaps at this performance, but that’s live theatre for you). The inclusion of illusions from Skylar Fox is particularly impressive, namely in how the ghost of Juicy’s father appears and disappears early on. Creative and effortlessly executed, it added another layer to this already exquisite play. If I had to say one criticism, perhaps the set design itself wasn’t as strong as the rest of the play, with a wobbly backdrop not reaching the high standard found elsewhere.

There is no shortage of talent amongst the exceptional cast of Fat Ham, led by a wonderfully charismatic Olisa Odele in a star turn as Juicy. Managing to captivate the audience at all times, he manages to pull focus both when he is centre stage or observing through the sidelines as other characters take their turn. With magnificent stage presence, his take on a character that at times can feel exaggerated felt natural, bringing a sense of realism to the story, while always keeping one eye on the comedy.

Other characters exist more for the comic value, with Kieran Taylor-Ford delighting in bookending scenes as Tio, and Sandra Marvin in scene-stealing form as Rabby, getting many of the most hilarious lines and amplifying them with impeccable comic timing. To get the most out of Fat Ham, it is worth keeping one eye on her at all times, as certain mutterings and facial expressions can amplify the material. Andi Osho is another highlight as Juicy’s mother, Tedra, while Sule Rimi is brilliantly domineering in the dual roles of Juicy’s uncle and father, always making his presence felt. Jasmine Elcock gets some of the best one-liners with her ballsy character of Opal, while it is the journey of Larry that proves the most intriguing. Played by Corey Montague-Sholay, his story is a slow-burn, but one with the most satisfying of payoffs, in a testament to the talents ad versatility of the actor.

When it comes to fresh takes on Shakespeare, few are fresher than Fat Ham. Fantastically creative, its spin on the story manages to feel both familiar and brand new Not knowing where the play will go next, even with Hamlet's blueprint in mind is a big part of its charm, leading to an exciting and exhilarating watch. Shaking off the ghost of Shakespeare to carve out its own identity, the UK debut of Fat Ham is no tragedy at all, but a roaring triumph. Though the number of people who die in this play may be far less than your usual Hamlet, when it comes to the material and delivery of it, there is no doubt that all involved truly killed it.

Fat Ham plays at The Swan Theatre until 13^th September. Tickets from https://www.rsc.org.uk/fat-ham

Photos by Ali Wright