Life can be compared to a fighting match, where once you step into the ring you are alone. You become a monster defending themselves and fighting for their life, suffering from cuts and bruises but still determined to stay alive and win, not for fortune and fame, but just to survive. The new play “Monsters,” penned and directed by Ngozi Anyanwu, now playing at Manhattan Theatre Club, New York City Center Stage 2, is a perfect example of this metaphor. It follows the lives of Big (Okieriete Onaodowan), and his half-sister Lil (Aigner Mizzelle) as they navigate the effects of enduring a childhood in a dysfunctional household riddled with abuse and alcoholism. Their method of survival becomes each other.

Round One: In flashbacks to childhood, Big and Lil are very close, protecting and encouraging each other, trying to avoid confrontation and harm from an abusive father. Big tries his best but when Lil is about to turn twelve, he leaves but promises to return for her birthday. He misses the day and when he returns months later, he is drunk, banging on the door to get in, but Lil just puts on headphones and ignores him. Ding! They both lose round one.

Round Two: Sixteen years later Big is now an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) Champion and Lil shows up out of the blue and starts discussing the match he just won. He finally recognizes her and they begin a conversation, as Lil tries to edge her way back into his life. She is working at an Applebee’s but is also drinking a bit too much. Her attempt is successful and Big slowly begins to build a relationship with his estranged half-sister. Ding! Lil wins this round.

Round Three: Big begins to train Lil, who now has aspirations of becoming a fighter, following in her brother’s footsteps. During this process he insists Lil stop drinking and once again they form a wonderful bond, catching up on all the years they had missed. Lil eventually moves in with Big. Ding! It’s a tie. They both win this round.

Round Four: Big feels he has done what he can and now Lil is ready to move on and have the experience of professional matches, so he sets up an opportunity for her to go to Vegas with Tess, a coach that owes him a favor. There she can grow by having a new coach and perspective. Lil ends up staying for the entire summer and has little contact with Big. Ding! Big loses as he misses Lil and fears he might lose her again.

Round Five: When Lil returns from Vegas, she has fired Tess and is with a new coach Paige who has set up a series of matches for Lil but has also introduced her to some sports enhancement drugs. This causes a falling out between Lil and Big. Ding! Lil loses this round.

Round Six: Big has his final fight to defend his championship. He loses the match. Lil showed up to watch it. Her coach Paige has died from drugs. This made Lil see the light and stop. She is in a relationship and so is Big. Each of them has finally survived all the cuts and bruises that monsters endure to survive. They have a reconciliation. Ding! They both win this round and the Match!

Mr. Onaodowan and Ms. Mizzelle have natural chemistry that flows through their performances as they love, fight, grapple and strive to understand who they are, not what they are. Their emotional love is never sentimental or maudlin, their mental struggles are brave but painful and their physical fighting is fierce and strong while being executed like a poetic dance credited to the work of choreographer Rickey Tripp and fight director Gerry Rodriguez. Ms. Anyanwu moves the action along at a quick pace until the last scene that tends to be too long, to slow and too sentimental, which works against the strong characters that have been developed throughout the play. Regardless, these two talented actors are riveting, as they show us the good, and the disturbing sides of two monsters, fighting against themselves and each other for the sake of survival.