Review: THE MONSTERS at La Jolla Playhouse

In Ngozi Anyanwu's “The Monsters”, now playing at the La Jolla Playhouse, punches land hard, takedowns hit fast, and every bruise carries decades of history behind it. Even if you know absolutely nothing about mixed martial arts, this riveting and emotionally charged drama remains completely engrossing. By the end of its 85-minute runtime, the audience was invested not in who wins the fights, but in the bond of these two siblings moving forward.

Written by Ngozi Anyanwu, the play centers on half-siblings BIG (Sullivan Jones) and LIL (Ngozi Anyanwu)  who share a father and a family history marked by addiction, abandonment, and disappointment. As adults, they've become very different people. LIL is a whirlwind of energy, bravado, impulsiveness, and endless chatter, desperate to be seen,  loved, and thought of as somebody. BIG has streamlined those same wounds into discipline and isolation. He doesn't need people around him because experience has taught him they'll eventually leave anyway.

It's a lesson he knows particularly well. When the play begins, BIG has been absent from LIL's life for fifteen years.

The pair has wonderful chemistry together. Their banter feels authentically sibling-like: rapid-fire, chaotic, constantly changing subjects, making fun of each other one second and fiercely supporting or challenging each other the next. The dialogue crackles with affection, irritation, and shared history.

Anyanwu's script fluidly shifts between present-day scenes and childhood memories, gradually revealing how their bond formed and eventually fractured. As a child, LIL worships her older brother. BIG adores her right back, serving as protector, babysitter, and safe harbor amid family turmoil. Years later, when she tracks him down, she's focused on the bright lights and championship belt that symbolize his success, while remaining largely uninterested in the discipline, sacrifice, and self-control that made that success possible.

The physical storytelling throughout the production is exceptional. The combination of lighting design by Reza Behjat, sound design by UptownWorks (Daniels Hart, Noel Nichols, and Bailey Trierweiler), fight consultation by Chelsea Pace, and mixed martial arts consultation by Sijara Eubanks creates some of the most effective theatrical fight sequences and character development you will see. Every punch, grapple, and training exercise becomes part of the storytelling. The lighting and sound are synchronized so precisely with the movement that you forget there is no opponent in the fight you’re watching.

The training montages are particularly effective. They're funny, reveal character, and showcase the siblings' evolving relationship while allowing the production to jump seamlessly between timelines. With every push-up, takedown, and sparring session, we learn something new about who these people are.

The sequences are also a reminder of just how much physical work outside of the theatre this production demands from its performers. The athleticism required to perform this material safely eight times a week is impressive on its own; combining it with acting of this caliber makes it even more remarkable. 

As LIL, Anyanwu delivers a remarkable performance, charting her character's growth from impulsive dreamer to determined fighter. Her physicality is especially impressive, allowing her to switch effortlessly between vulnerable child and stubborn adult. Sullivan Jones is equally outstanding, and the emotional weight of the production rests on his shoulders. He beautifully captures BIG's guarded nature, his discomfort with the world around him, and the guilt he carries for leaving LIL behind.

Nina Ball's scenic design creates a versatile gym and MMA ring that transform into numerous locations throughout the play, while Celeste Jennings' costume design cleverly charts LIL's evolution as both a fighter and a person and, through their color, highlights the siblings' differing temperaments.

“The Monsters” delivers thrilling fight sequences, but its greatest strength lies in the family story at its center. Funny, heartbreaking, and powerfully performed, this is an incredibly strong production. Whether you're an MMA fan or not, the play's emotional punches land with equal force. 

How To Get Tickets

“The Monsters”  is playing at the La Jolla Playhouse through June 28th.  For ticket and showtime information, go to lajollaplayhouse.org 

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