Small Jokes About Monsters: A Play

small jokes about MONSTERS, a play by Steven Strafford

Three brothers arrive in a rented beach house to read a letter from their estranged father after his funeral. Ryan, the middle brother, explains to his two brothers his theory of how there are three different kinds of funny people: Godzillas, Mothras, and Gameras. Godzillas destroy all they see with their jokes. Mothras, the silent but deadly types, lay a room flat with just one joke. And Gameras are the folks who don’t even realize they’re funny. When their tough-talking, no-nonsense mother arrives, more and more secrets are revealed, tempers flare, and the joking that was light and fun becomes cruel. SMALL JOKES ABOUT MONSTERS is about a family that uses humor to deflect their feelings, and what it means to confront the pain beneath the comedy so traumas can be healed.

Adult theme and adult language – This show is rated R