Aaron Pang’s show “Herein Lies the Truth” is a strange concoction of comedy, visual performance and full-throttle storytelling that forces us to examine our own unintentional biases towards the way people perceive Pang.
Pang, a Master of Fine Arts candidate at the Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program, shares his story of his life and the physical disability he incurred following a spinal injury.
Many elements of the performance were extremely unique and captivating for an audience like Riverside Theatre’s, who are well-accustomed to seeing the full-scale performance of a play.
Pang’s comedy was electric throughout the performance. Though there was a noticeable tension from the audience on opening night as it seemed some felt it wrong to laugh, this stiffness was quickly absolved by the humor the artist brought to the act.
The message behind the show in its entirety is strong. Pang examines memories from the past, and while they may or may not be true, he manages to enthrall the listener enough to believe him. For me, Pang conveyed a message about the power of storytelling and the sense of reward one can experience from a feel-good tale of recovery.
He also highlights that these kinds of story arcs aren’t always the truth for people who have disabilities and that, many times, there is no grand reward or conventional triumph within their tales. This idea seemed to really resonate with the audience after listening to him speak for hours.
“Herein Lies the Truth” is a production that I personally found to be a masterpiece. Pang’s performance is an enthralling exploration of biases, body autonomy and sexual empowerment, all of which struck each audience member differently based on the depth of our preconceived notions.
The journey that audience members were taken when Pang took the stage versus where they were when Pang exited was grippingly beautiful to all who attended opening night.
This show is one everyone should see for themselves, as you will almost certainly have a different internal experience than the rest of the theatre.