About
The Initiative team of Else and Emma Rosa Went follows young men sure the game is rigged in a darkly funny new play closing at Playwrights Horizons.
In their own corner of the internet, a group of young men trade proof that the game is rigged against them and resolve to lie down and rot, until an unexpected relationship shows the cost of that fatalism. Writer Else Went and director Emma Rosa Went made Vulture's best-of-2025 list with Initiative, and this telescopic, darkly funny follow-up plays its last performances this weekend. If you track the new-play scene, don't miss the closing.
What to expect
A contemporary ensemble play with a cast of five that zooms in on an insular online community of young men who believe the game was over before it began. The comedy is dark, the language is frank, and the story turns when a real relationship begins to form.
Good to know
- Playwrights Horizons is at 416 West 42nd Street; take the A/C/E to 42 St–Port Authority.
- The theater is fully wheelchair accessible.
- Themes and language are adult; best for older teens and up.
- Theatre Row's restaurants make pre-show dining easy.
- Final-weekend performances can sell out, so check availability early.
Common questions
What is Degenerates about?
An insular online community of young men who believe the world is rigged against them, and what happens when a real relationship forms.
When does Degenerates close?
Playwrights Horizons lists the run as September 16 to October 11, 2026.