Big Wolf

Synopsis

A war-ravaged landscape, timeless yet evocative of 20th-century conflicts. The innocence of childhood collides with the brutal reality of survival.

Five young boys, each bearing physical and psychological scars from an unnamed war, navigate a desolate and dangerous world. As they scavenge for survival, they mimic the behaviours of adults they’ve observed, creating a disturbing parody of grown-up society amidst the chaos of conflict.

Mueller’s play, inspired by accounts of the Vietnam War and his own experiences in post-World War II Berlin, is a harrowing exploration of war’s impact on the innocent. Through the boys’ interactions and makeshift rituals, the playwright examines themes of lost childhood, the cyclical nature of violence, and the corruption of innocence.

The stark, post-apocalyptic setting serves as both a literal war zone and a metaphorical landscape of shattered innocence. As the boys struggle to maintain some semblance of normalcy in their games and interactions, the play offers a powerful critique of war’s senselessness and its ability to perpetuate itself through generations.