Adam Lenson’s solo show Anything That We Wanted To Be at Summerhall is an absorbing, well-structured delight. Starting me off on my 2023 Fringe Experience on a high. Adam is a theatre director but only because they made a life altering decision to drop their medical studies and not become that doctor they assumed was their destiny.
This is a highly personal show but never veers into confessional self-indulgence that we all fear from solo shows involving ‘life stories’. Through the use of music, visual images, gentle comedy and Adam’s intimate delivery, we are sucked into their journey.
Adam frames the story using day zero as our base point, the day they received their life altering diagnosis and bounces us back and forth through the key turning points in their life. The use of old TV screens to number the days or offer a visual such as a favourite Tetris game, help the audience to focus on what point of life we are in.
Adam cleverly explores the concept of the multi-verse; asking us to consider our choices, “There’s a you that made that choice, and there’s another you that didn’t”. In fact this concept is also presented as a rather catchy song with great use of a loop pedal.
Anything That We Wanted To Be set involves tangles of wires and light ropes, trailing and looping around old TV monitors on varying stands reflecting visually some of the key ideas: alternative life pathways, the complexity of our lymphatic drainage system. Libby Todd’s design is one of the most successful sets under Fringe constraints that I’ve seen in a long while.
At times the pace could pick up more and escalate to match the sound scape and some of the songs are a little ‘samey’ but none of this detracts from an engaging production.
A major shout out for sound/technical producer Christian Czornyj for operating such a complex multi-media show seamlessly, making it look so easy. It’s a production that highlights how effective the use of multi-media tech can be to enhance a story without overwhelming it.
Adam Lenson never became a Doctor but in this universe we get to see a skilled writer present Anything That We Wanted To Be, a beautifully structured life story. I think it was the right choice.
