The Big Fuckin' Giant by Rachel Bykowski

Darren is the Big Fuckin’ Giant. He is ranked 3rd in the nation for collegiate wrestling and the leading athlete at the Alpha Psi fraternity. The day before the NCAA conference, Darren announces to his teammates, Chris and Bill, he is leaving wrestling. However, a promise he made to Chris, the runt of the team, keeps Darren on the mat for one more night. Darren must help Chris become an official “Alpha” by...
Darren is the Big Fuckin’ Giant. He is ranked 3rd in the nation for collegiate wrestling and the leading athlete at the Alpha Psi fraternity. The day before the NCAA conference, Darren announces to his teammates, Chris and Bill, he is leaving wrestling. However, a promise he made to Chris, the runt of the team, keeps Darren on the mat for one more night. Darren must help Chris become an official “Alpha” by using a Judy blow-up doll. The more Darren starts to embrace the fraternity ritual, the harder it becomes for him to leave the mat.

The Big Fuckin' Giant specifically analyzes white, male privilege and how it contributes to violence against women.
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The Big Fuckin' Giant

Recommended by

  • Cheryl Bear:
    30 Apr. 2021
    “ A powerful look at the culture of toxic masculinity and the violence it can breed. Well done. ”
  • Stanton Nash:
    28 May. 2018
    “ The BFG reads almost like music: with Darren, Chris, and Bill each competing verbally; overlapping their lines and fighting for dominance in the conversation. In a way, the play itself feels like a brutal wrestling match. It’s incredibly disturbing and packed full of truth. This play shines a bright light into the dark corners of hyper-masculinity and what it’s consequences can be. A must read. ”
  • David Hansen:
    10 Apr. 2018
    “ Bykowski creates a trio of men who are each sympathetic in their own way, and in turn each of their weaknesses are exposed by the others. Women are absent, a couple defined for us by these men, as types -- an African-American who is fetishized and feared, the aloof, white cuckolder. These collegiate athletes channel their aggression and practice their dominance on the women they cannot understand and lives they feel they cannot control on a blow-up doll, and on each other. It is an aggressively physical and painfully eloquent parable for our time, or for all times. ”

Character Information

The play analyzes white male privilege.

  • Darren
    Early 20's,
    White
    ,
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Chris
    Late Teens,
    White
    ,
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Bill
    Early 20's,
    White
    ,
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Male

Development History

  • Workshop
    ,
    Relative Theatrics
    ,
    2018
  • Workshop
    ,
    Ohio University
    ,
    2017
  • Reading
    ,
    Ohio University
    ,
    2016

Awards

Finalist
,
Br!nk New Play Festival Finalist
,
Br!nk with Renaissance Theaterworks
,
2017
Winner
,
Trisolini Named Graduate Fellowship
,
Ohio University
,
2017