Playwright James Ijames makes Black queer folks feel seen with his artistry
Fat Ham revolutionized theatre with his take on the tragedy Hamlet.A post shared by James Ijames (@jwijames)The play, written by Ijames and directed by Saleem Ali, premiered at The Public Theater in the summer of 2022.
Fat Ham focuses on Black queer college student Juicy. A mama’s boy looking to find his own way, Juicy’s father dies and his mother marries his uncle, much to his chagrin.
But when his father’s ghost returns at a family barbecue demanding that Juicy avenge him, the young man is forced with an ultimatum – follow through with his father’s wishes or break the cycle of trauma and violence.
Ijames’ play debuted to overwhelmingly positive reviews. Already an accomplished playwright, Ijames outdid himself with Fat Ham, eventually winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2022.
