"The Moderate" - by Ken Urban - Central Square Theater (Cambridge, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: Nael Nacer as “Frank Bonner” in a scene from Ken Urban's "THE MODERATE," now playing at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA. until March 1, 2026. Photo Credit Nile Scott Studios)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
“To do this job, you gotta think logically. But not be a robot. That make sense?"
- ("Martin") / Ken Urban
Central Square Theater
Presents Ken Urban's
"THE MODERATE"
Written by Ken Urban
Directed by Jared Mezzocchi
A Catalyst Collaborative@MIT Production
Cast Includes: Greg Maraio* as “Martin,” Nael Nacer* as “Frank Bonner,” Celeste Oliva* as “Edyth Bonner,” Jules Talbot* as “Rayne,” Sean Wendelken as “Gus.”
Video Performers: Mustafa Al-Obaidi, Tim Backsai, Tim Balke, Matthew Beagan, Noah D. Braunstein, Scot Colford, Zach Fuller, Jen Lewis, Dom Pappagallo, Scott Salley, Andrew Stout, Robert Thorpe II, Evan Turissini.
Additional Creative Team:
Multimedia Design - Jared Mezzocchi; Scenic Design - Sibyl Wickersheimer; Lighting Design - Kevin Fulton; Costume Design - Chelsea Kerl; Properties Design - Julia Wonkka; Sound Design - Christian Frederickson; Assistant Projections Designer - Emery Frost; A1 - Susan Eyring; Stage Manager - Charles Waite Clay*; Assistant Stage Manager, A2 and Wardrobe Manager - Kate Carvalho; Lighting Supervisor - Matthew Breton; Technical Director and Builder - Al Gentile.
* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
Performances:
February 5, 2026 through March 1, 2026
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER, 450 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA. 02139
TICKETS:
# 617-576-9278
https://www.centralsquaretheater.org/shows-events/season-tickets/
BUY TICKETS
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
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(Warning: The following review contains spoilers)
Central Square Theater (CST) in a Catalyst Collaborative@MIT Production presents a viscerally engaging multimedia masterpiece in Ken Urban’s "THE MODERATE" now playing in Cambridge.
Unemployed Frank (Nael Nacer) finds himself isolated, living alone at the very start of the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic.
Estranged from his wife, Edyth (Celeste Oliva), and their son (never seen), Frank is struggling to keep it altogether during the global shutdown.
The reason for their separation stems from how Frank handled the death of his father and some student loan issues which get explained in detail as the story advances.
As Edyth, Oliva is extremely adept showcasing a spouse left in the dark about much of her husband’s life choices, trying to make Frank see the impact of his lies (if lies equals “sins of omission,” and it does) and how his neglectful conduct has had not only irreparably hurt their marriage but also, perhaps, the couple’s troubled young son.
(Photo: Celeste Oliva onscreen as “Edyth Bonner” virtually chats with Nael Nacer as “Frank Bonner” in a scene from Ken Urban's "THE MODERATE," now playing at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA. until March 1, 2026. Photo Credit Nile Scott Studios)
Desperate for any kind of employment, Frank accepts a job offer from a contracting firm for a “major social media company.”
Which “major social media company” you might wonder (but not really).
The name never actually gets mentioned (although one of the cast member’s let it “slip” during the February 12th performance – not sure if the mention was intentional or even in the script itself - but it definitely stood out as the ONLY time this particular well-known “major social media company” had its name mentioned during the one hour, 40-minute play).
Frank’s job is to "MODERATE" content for the company, ensuring any “unsafe” content is banned from the internet.
How can something, ANYTHING, get “banned from the internet,” you might wonder (but not really).
In most cases, it can’t and isn’t.
It creeps back in like the digitized cancer it is.
Hesitant at first given the sheer volume of “negative impact content” Frank must endure and watching it over and over and over again during a full shift, Frank must indicate if he will either “reject” or “accept” the content, making it accessible to the digital universe of the internet.
This work takes a toll on Frank until he realizes he is actually quite adept at the work and might actually be making a difference in the real world.
Is he, though?
IS Frank truly making a difference in the real world, you might wonder?
That is the question author Ken Urban with CST's staging of "THE MODERATE" seeks to answer (no, really).
Because for each and every “rejection” he makes, the most vehement and reprehensible content is almost instantly re-posted, re-appearing before Frank’s eyes to once again either be “rejected” or “accepted” – as if he is stuck in his own personal virtual hell or some digitized version of “Groundhog Day.”
(Photo: Nael Nacer as “Frank Bonner” in a scene from Ken Urban's "THE MODERATE," now playing at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA. until March 1, 2026. Photo Credit Nile Scott Studios)
Some grotesque things visible to Frank (but mercifully, not to the audience) include:
Hate crimes, decapitations, child pornography, racist memes, shooting sprees, beatings, idiotic and abusive "prankings," extreme sexual content that would make even the most ardent of Pornhub “veterans” squeamish (including, as occasionally witnessed, more penile images seen in a show since possibly “Oh, Calcutta”) – these are the things Frank constantly MODERATES throughout most of his work day.
The staging for "THE MODERATE" by Jared Mezzocchi is done on a massive scale, not only completely utilizing the CST stage area but well utilizing the ENTIRE theatre space, blasting it with video imagery.
There is actually a minimalist “feel” to the set as it is mostly multi-level scaffolding and scrims, with a couple of doors along the upper level.
However, the combined video artistry and technical wizardry involved in this production is completely off the charts, virtually (and I do mean virtually) filling up every inch of space in the room.
This show is without a doubt a triumph - an immersive, technical magnum opus - bravo to the entire creative team involved.
As Frank, Nacer effortlessly conveys every emotion imaginable, fluctuating from empathy to joy to anger, occasionally in the blink of an eye, as Frank continues along in this occupation where secrecy and self-destruction seem to be a job requirements for this company.
Two of Frank’s colleagues include his boss, Martin (Greg Maraio) and Rayne (Jules Talbot) who together and separately try to impress upon Frank how important it is to remain “detached” from the content he watches and to never, EVER get emotionally involved.
This proves especially difficult for Frank when he observes a desperate young teenager, Gus (Sean Wendelken), who is producing and sending out frequent video pleas to the internet, hoping someone will come to his rescue from his abusive parent.
(Photo: Sean Wendelken as “Gus” in a scene from Ken Urban's "THE MODERATE," now playing at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA. until March 1, 2026. Photo Credit Nile Scott Studios)
Wendelken brings a great deal of compassionateness to the role of Gus, whose emotional struggles aren’t AI – they are as real and as visible as his physical bruises.
Maraio and Talbot are absolutely terrific as Frank’s empathetic and emotional support system - and these co-workers each have scenes showcasing how they ALSO have great moments of difficulty being “detached” during their day-to-day immersion into the digital representation of the worst among us.
Providing among the many more “colorful” multiple recorded images are video performers Mustafa Al-Obaidi, Tim Backsai, Tim Balke, Matthew Beagan, Noah D. Braunstein, Scot Colford, Zach Fuller, Jen Lewis, Dom Pappagallo, Scott Salley, Andrew Stout, Robert Thorpe II and Evan Turissini.
Frank must decide if he will venture outside his role as "THE MODERATE" into the real world to help someone in real danger.
If he does, perhaps he will also find he has the power to better his own life situation in the process.
(Photo: Jules Talbot onscreen as “Rayne” virtually chats with Nael Nacer as “Frank Bonner” in a scene from Ken Urban's "THE MODERATE," now playing at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA. until March 1, 2026. Photo Credit Nile Scott Studios)
By leaps and bounds, this show is without a doubt the best thing I have seen thus far in 2026.
Ken Urban's "THE MODERATE" continues at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA. until March 1st, 2026 and you absolutely must monitor and accept this content because it is moderately magnificent.
Coming up next for CST will be Hugh Whitemore’s “BREAKING THE CODE” beginning April 2nd and running through April 26th, 2026.
For tickets and more information contact Central Square Theater at # 617-576-9278 or visit www.centralsquaretheater.org
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Approximately one hours, 45 minutes with no intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
Estranged from his wife and son during the pandemic lockdown, Frank accepts a job as a content moderator for the world’s largest social media company.
As he evaluates a never-ending stream of questionable content, the work takes an emotional and psychological toll.
However, everything changes when Frank sees an opportunity to help a stranger and save himself in the process.
A new play by Drama Desk Award-winning playwright Ken Urban ("A Guide for the Homesick"), "THE MODERATE" is directed by two-time Obie Award Winner Jared Mezzocchi who was praised by the New York Times for his multimedia innovations during the pandemic.
ABOUT CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER
CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER (CST) is dedicated to the exploration of social justice, science and sexual politics through theater; catalyzing the dynamic synergies sparked by the collaboration between The Nora and Underground Railway. Through award-winning productions, the Catalyst Collaborative@ MIT Science Theater Initiative, and youth development programming – CST creates theater where points of view are heard, perspective shifts, and change can happen.
450 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA. 02139
# 617-576-9278
