‘The Monsters’ Steps Into the Ring at La Jolla Playhouse

June 23, 2026

"The Monsters," a play by Ngozi Anyanwu running at La Jolla Playhouse, uses mixed martial arts as a metaphor to explore the fractured relationship between two estranged siblings. The story centers on Lil, who reappears in her older brother Big's life after years of watching his MMA career from afar, forcing both to address longstanding resentment and unresolved family trauma. Through Tamilla Woodard's direction and Adesola Osakalumi's fight choreography, the physical combat becomes a language for expressing emotions the characters struggle to articulate verbally.

Who is affected

Lil (the younger sister, played by playwright Ngozi Anyanwu)
Big (the older brother, an aging MMA fighter played by Sullivan Jones)
The estranged siblings as a unit dealing with family abandonment and resentment
Audiences at La Jolla Playhouse who engage with themes of family trauma and reconciliation

What action is being taken

The play is currently running performances at La Jolla Playhouse's Mandel Weiss Forum through June 28
Lil is confronting her brother Big after years of separation
The siblings are attempting to reconnect and address their unspoken affection and resentment

Why it matters

The play matters because it uses the metaphor of mixed martial arts to explore universal themes of family estrangement, inherited trauma, and the difficulty of emotional vulnerability. It examines how people create protective barriers to survive hardship while simultaneously longing for connection, asking whether damaged relationships are worth salvaging. The production demonstrates how physical expression can communicate what words cannot, offering audiences insight into the complex dynamics of sibling relationships marked by abandonment and the challenge of reconciliation.

What's next

The play runs until June 28 at La Jolla Playhouse. Tickets and information are available at lajollaplayhouse.org.

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint