In our ongoing Edinburgh Fringe 2026 interview series, we are speaking to artists and creatives who are bringing their shows to the Scottish capital this summer.
In this interview, we speak with Adam Lenson about their show Is it too late now to say sorry?
What can you tell me about your show?
Is It Too Late Now to Say Sorry? started from me thinking about apologies and why they're such a complicated part of being a person. I became interested in the gap between what we mean when we apologise, how those apologies are received, and the things we carry around when an apology never comes.
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| Photo by Emma Jude Harris |
The show is a memoir, but it's also part journalism and part gig. I move backwards and forwards through different periods of my life, looking at family relationships, friendship breakdowns, career disappointments, and my own experiences of social media burnout. Alongside that, I became fascinated by public apologies, particularly celebrity apologies, and somehow that led me to spending a lot of time thinking about Justin Bieber.
At its heart, the show is really about how we live with mistakes, whether they're our own or someone else's. It's honest about how messy relationships can be, but it's also interested in forgiveness, connection, and the possibility of repairing things, even when that repair isn't straightforward.
How would you describe the style of your show to anyone who has never seen you before?
I would say it’s sort of Daniel Kitson meets Ben Folds but more Jewish. I call the form gig-memoir. It’s a sort of collision of scenes, philosophical discourse and songs all threaded together to make something that’s hopefully coherent. The show is crafted as a way of me apologising for some of the stuff I regret and also processing some things I have never received apologies for. It’s about the mess we accumulate as we live a life. I set myself a question ‘how do i fix all the broken things in my life’ and the show is designed to try and answer that. I say try. It might not succeed. And for that I’m sorry.
What was the lightbulb moment that led to the creation of this piece?
The real starting point was in 2022, when I was fired from directing a show because some of my theatre-related social media activism had made me appear, in their words, “non-compliant”. What was strange was that they also acknowledged that many of the issues I had been raising were legitimate. It left me thinking about how we deal with situations where responsibility is complicated and layered, where there isn't a single villain and everyone involved has some version of the truth.
At the same time, I became fascinated by the way the internet flattens people. Someone can know a handful of your opinions, or see a few posts, and feel as though they know who you are. It made me think about reputation, perception and how difficult it is to communicate nuance in public.
Then, in 2023, my cancer returned. That shifted the focus of those questions in a much more personal direction. I started thinking about mortality, legacy, the kind of person I had been, and the way I was perceived by others. I found myself reflecting on friendships, family relationships and regrets, and wondering what unresolved things I was carrying around. Around the same time, I went down a rabbit hole reading about celebrity apologies and became interested in the stories we tell about redemption and forgiveness.
At some point those threads came together. I found myself asking what it would actually take to repair the things in my life that felt broken, and whether that was even possible. The show grew out of that question. In many ways, it's the story of that search.
What makes 2026 the perfect year for this specific story or performance?
I think we're living through a period where a lot of things feel overwhelming. There's a sense of division, uncertainty and heaviness that can make people feel powerless. What interests me is that, while most of us can't single-handedly fix huge global problems, we do have some influence over how we relate to the people around us and how we move through our own lives.
That's part of why this feels like the right moment for a show about apology. An apology is a small act, but it can have enormous consequences. It can repair a relationship, change how someone sees themselves, or alter the direction of a life. The show is really interested in those small moments of communication and honesty that can create meaningful change.
I don't think saying sorry solves everything, but I do think that closeness, self-reflection and a willingness to communicate are increasingly important. In a time when so much feels beyond our control, there is value in looking at the things we can change: our own behaviour, our relationships, our communities. Sometimes one conversation, one act of understanding, or one apology can reshape a person's world in ways that are much bigger than they first appear.
How will you mentally and physically prepare for a run at the Fringe?
I’m planning to take it as easy as I can. I’m not as young as I used to be and Edinburgh is overwhelming. My main tactic is to remember that even doing the show at Edinburgh is success and that no one will be as good at making my show than me. The fringe is so exciting because of the number of shows but if you’re not careful you can fall into the comparison trap. Physically I have to be very careful because I’m chronically ill so I have to be sensible. Eat some vegetables. Go on a daily walk as I run my lines. Mostly I’m planning to be kind to myself. Making art of any kind is a radical act. It’s enough. What happens after that is none of my business.
If you couldn’t use a flyer to attract audiences, what ridiculous object would you hand out to people to get them into your show?
An index card. With an apology. Not one for them. But an apology from someone to someone else. The show is about how everyone has made mistakes and everyone has something to apologise for and something they deserve an apology for.
What is the one item in your Fringe Survival Kit that you can’t live without this month?
Hot Berocca. I have one every morning of fringe. Well I guess it’s just a normal berocca tablet but I put it in hot water. Also we are bringing my cat Rivkah to the fringe for the whole month. She’s never left London so it’s going to be quite the adventure for her.
What would you deem as success at the end of the Fringe?
My background is in directing so making and performing solo shows is still relatively new to me. Mostly I deem success as making and performing the show. I made the piece because I was eager to figure something out and share it with people. Getting to do that is my main goal and it’s one I can directly control.
Other than your own show, are there any other shows you would recommend at the Fringe this year?
My friend James Rowland is reviving his incredible Team Viking. James is a master storyteller and I’m so excited to see his show. Also I’m so excited to see Aarion Mehrabani’s show How’s Your Head. I’m a big admirer of his work with Flawbored and as a fellow person dealing with the shits of cancer.
What is one Edinburgh spot that you would recommend people to visit when they're not watching performances?
Snax. Their Scottish breakfast is elite level when you need a fringe pick me up. I also love going to the book festival which is a calm oasis in Edinburgh that’s slightly more relaxed than the fringe and has lots of books and people talking about books.
Can you describe the show in 5 words?
An apology odyssey with songs
What keeps you inspired?
I love autobiographical theatre because it can contain all my interests in terms of structure and content. I read a lot of books, I play a lot of video games. I’m very interested in non linear structures in both and the way story can move back and forth in time chained together by theme, emotion and character. I think video game structure has influenced so much contemporary storytelling and it certainly influences my solo theatre making. In a solo show the audience knows that there won’t be any change to who is onstage. So you have to find other ways to surprise people. Boons and video games are solo experiences that somehow always find new ways of surprising.
What would you hope someone takes away from seeing the show?
That it’s never too late to make changes to yourself and your life. That communicating accurately is near impossible but trying is better than doing nothing. That there are things you can control and things you can’t.
When and where can people see the show?
12:15pm in the Red Lecture Theatre at Summerall. From 6th August - 31st August.
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