Adam Lenson explores apology in an affecting multimedia solo show
If reading the title of Adam Lenson’s solo show immediately calls to mind Justin Bieber’s 2015 earworm, rest assured that’s deliberate. The question posed here is the backbone of Lenson’s piece, and Bieber is a case study in a section about celebrity apologies in a wide-ranging exploration of how we make up for what we can’t change. Blooming outward from Lenson’s experiences to cultural examples and the audience’s own contributions, this show is a well-crafted hour of reflection amidst the chaos of the Fringe.
Is it too Late… incorporates elements of gig theatre, comedy and monologue seamlessly, with written note card projections demarcating each memory that Lenson relays to us, from Twitter discourse to dramatic family dinners. It starts with a story of a young Lenson attempting to tinker with the family computer, only to end up with the machine in unfixable pieces around him and a telling off by his father. This relatable sense of regret and desperation to make amends remains as the anecdotes mature, along with the storyteller, dealing with heavier topics such as romantic relationships, health wobbles and breaking toxic emotional patterns. There are a couple songs sprinkled in, the simple lyrics and ethereal melodies of which add nice interludes between conflicts; they also pack in some solid jokes, as with the song about a 13-step process one can follow to apologise effectively.
It’s a hopeful piece of work that unites the specific and universal. Lenson has a unique point of view that clearly stretches beyond the confines of a single Fringe show and, at times, it feels like watching someone work though these thoughts in real time. But that encourages the audience to face its own demons too (helped by the sharpies and notecards passed around) and, by the end, saying sorry feels a little less daunting. Take solace in the fact that most of us don’t have to do it from a Bieber-sized platform.
By Maia Kahn
Photo by Emma Jude Harris
Is it too Late Now to Say Sorry? runs until Monday 31 August. 12.15pm. £18.50, £16 concs. Red Lecture Theatre @ Summerhall, EH9 1PL. edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/is-it-too-late-now-to-say-sorry