Fat Ham Reviews

Washington Post- Highly Recommended

"...What a piece of tantalizing work is an irreverent homage like "Fat Ham," the Pulitzer-winning comedy by James Ijames that reincarnates Hamlet as a gender-fluid online-university student, emotionally paralyzed by the murder of his father at the hands of his uncle."

MetroWeekly- Highly Recommended

"...For most of its time onstage, however, Fat Ham deals in hilarity, well-played by all in the cast, but especially by Blackwell as holy rolling Rabby, dryly funny Gary as mama Tedra, and Gibson, who serves Juicy’s melancholy and malaise with a fine-tuned side of fierceness."

Washington City Paper- Highly Recommended

"...Resetting the play from the gloomy Castle Elsinore to a backyard barbecue in the American South is such a rich comic idea you wonder why no one tried it before Ijames, the prolific dramatist whose more recent Good Bones, a study of race and gentrification, had its world premiere at Studio Theatre last summer. Studio has followed up that debut with its own Fat Ham, and a succulent feast it is."

Washington Informer- Recommended

"...As conversations heat up and confrontations occur, characters peel back many layers. Juicy’s mother, Tedra, jumped into relationships that were not the best, but she did not see many options. Family friend Rabby comes off as holier than thou, but that’s not how she started. Daughter Opal is headstrong and pretty much knows what she isn’t and moves closer to who she is. Larry has suppressed many feelings that have torn him up. Larry struggles to talk honestly with Juicy with turmoil swirling at the BBQ."

MD Theatre Guide- Highly Recommended

"...Taylor Reynolds, the OBIE-award winning director, has deftly meshed tragedy and comedy into an entertaining evening in the theatre. You need not be familiar with Shakespeare’s play to enjoy and emotionally engage with this production, but it is even more fun if bring your preconceptions with you to be challenged."