With just about everything that’s been tried at least once, it’s rare to find something totally new, and unlike anything else you’ll see. It’s rarer still when that new piece of theatre turns out to be absolutely brilliant. Using the ski slopes collision between world famous actress Gwyneth Paltrow and retired Optometrist Terry Sanderson in 2016 and the resulting 2023 court case, as its inspiration, Awkward Productions have crafted something fabulous, bonkers, and totally hilarious with the most audience participation you are ever likely to find in any show.
We are introduced to Gwyneth, hearing about her life so far: award winning actress, mother, and Goop founder: a little glimpse into the imaginary and not so imaginary life of someone bobbing along in a world of her own making. Linus Karp plays Gwyneth with gentleness, yet with a core of the self-belief of someone for whom everything in life seems to have worked out. Despite his gentle voice and floating ways he holds the audience completely in the palm of his hand, we are on tenterhooks waiting for what happens next, and he keeps the absolutely perfect pace with effortlessness. Joseph Martin is the retired Optometrist, fiercely not an Optician, and in contrast it seems nothing much is going right for him. Joseph plays him with a bitterness that is actually endearing. He also plays Terry’s lawyer in the court scenes using a puppet, which is superb.
This is mainly a two person show, although there is a cameo from a stage hand who, among other things, wheels on the Deer of Deer Valley for various scenes: she has the look of someone who would really rather be anywhere else and is gloriously deadpan, which makes it even funnier. There are various other members of the team: puppet creatures, and fabulously, an apple, playing Gwyneth’s daughter: Apple. It doesn’t feel like a two person show, as the audience are also completely involved, with various different roles and instructions given out to people who are watching, plus the invitation to invent your own Goop product which could then be mentioned in the show. And at the end, we become the jury giving our verdict.
This is a show that combines elements of a Fringe production, Drag style audience participation as well as a main theatre show; and takes the benefits from each. Absolutely every single detail has been considered; care and attention has gone into refining and creating it: from the adapted song lyrics to the movie and Goop references. Even the Deer of Deer Valley wears a tie for Court. It also comes with some gravitas, supported by Trixie Mattel as Gwyneth’s mother Blythe Danner in a video call, and the specially created songs which they lip sync to beautifully, sung by Cat Cohen and Darren Criss. The writing is sharp, and something fun has been made out of every conceivable part of the show: it’s peppered with cultural references and is almost continuously guffaw funny with nothing that falls flat.
With a title like Gwyneth Goes Skiing, you may well find a degree of scepticism about how the show will be. If you think you’ve seen everything: try this. Crazily inventive, completely absorbing and utterly bonkers. Magic.
The Old Market, 7 October 2024
Gwyneth Goes Skiing, Awkward Productions, on tour
Photos credit: Jonny Ruff
