Would it be crossing an ethical boundary to show the audience what it is that He (Robbie Curran) and She (Alice Victoria Winslow) are seeing for themselves? Video projections of the sort of clips that ‘social media moderators’ would have flagged up to them for investigation are shown, largely in between scenes, but these are not integral to understanding the narrative or the dialogue. In other words, take them away, and essentially nothing is lost. So instead, the audience hears descriptions of what He and She are looking at, along with the decisions they take, following a process set down in ‘The Handbook’, which He claims to have written, even though He is still working his way up the managerial ladder and She is only his second ever direct report.
Repeated references to ‘the company’ evidently meant they worked for a third-party contractor, and not for the social media platform itself. Becoming a direct employee was something coveted by them, if only because there are certain privileges direct employees have that are denied to contractors. This is also one of those places where contractors work for a client that has overly strict protocols: time spent using the conveniences is monitored to the second. Take too long to pee, and you could be issued with whatever the American equivalent is of a P45.
It isn’t all about dealing with questionable and controversial online content: the audience gets to know both characters reasonably well, and there are some intriguing points the play makes about workplace dynamics and how almost anything could be misconstrued and misinterpreted. It seems some moderators are better at considering the context in which a social media account should be suspended than they are at the appropriateness of their own behaviour at the office.
These moderators work entirely in the office, somewhat ironic for jobs relating to a social media platform that can be accessed by its users anywhere so long as they have a web connection. That said, there is some logic to this – their work is compartmentalised in the sense that they need not think about offensive posts and weird conspiracy theories, amongst other things, once they leave for the day. At least that’s the theory. In practice, however, there are always going to be certain things that stick in the mind, as there would be for people who work in accident and emergency departments, or for a mental health crisis helpline.
There’s sufficient dramatic tension, particularly during the breaks in their shift, as things are revealed on a ‘need to know’ basis, which provides a framework for plot twists along the way, right up to the very end of the show. A perceptive look at the gig economy, the play is relatable to many. Perhaps the specifics of social media moderation haven’t been experienced by the masses. But those who have ever had the ‘privilege’, inverted commas mine, of working in a dog-eat-dog environment, will recognise the defensive behaviours, as well as the successes bestowed on people who followed the kind of advice not found in ‘The Handbook’. An engaging and lively piece of theatre: who knew a windowless basement office could be so fascinating?
Review by Chris Omaweng
“Doxxing. Threats of violence. It’s in the handbook. If you get a school shooting or a beheading, you know what to do. Remove. Suspend. Report.”
He and She are social media content moderators. All day, every day, they descend into the darkest digital rabbit holes, forced to view and rate disturbing images of hatred, violence, pornography and abuse, while being exposed to countless outrageous conspiracy theories.
CAST
He – Robbie Curran
She – Alice Victoria Winslow
CREATIVES
Writer – Kevin Kautzman
Director – Lydia Parker
Projection Designer – Abbie Lucas
Lighting Designer – Jack Hathaway
Sound Designer – Ryan Condon
Composer – Shawn Phillips
Stage Manager – Nathan Friend
Producer – Suzette Coon
MODERATION
The Hope Theatre
19 March to 5 April 2025
