Awkward Productions have previously brought us the delightfully twisted How To Live A Jellicle Life: Life Lessons From The 2019 Hit Movie Musical ‘Cats’ and the riotously amusing Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story, now creatives Linus Karp and Joseph Martin turn their attention to Gwyneth Paltrow in Gwyneth Goes Skiing. This comedy meets musical takes residence in the Pleasance Courtyard this Edinburgh Fringe to take on one of the most bizarre pop culture moments in recent years – Paltrow’s court case with retired optometrist Terry Sanderson after a skiing collision in the Utah mountains.
Karp is Gwyneth, holidaying in Utah’s Deer Valley with partner Brad Falchuk (an unsuspecting audience member) and daughter Apple (a literal apple), where a collision takes place on the ski slopes with Sanderson (Martin). The case is put under the lens in a scrappy Utah courtroom where the two foes are pitted against one another.
Gwyneth Goes Skiing finds its groove in combining the moments of verbatim madness from the trial, with fictional whimsy, resulting in its deliciously entertaining slice of camp celebrity satire. Karp delights in telling us at moments “She really did ask her that!” highlighting the gossipy madness at the heart of the trial, whilst delivering some fourth wall breaking fun. Brimming with pop culture references (a video supercut of key queer pop culture moments in the seven years between accident and trial is a particular highlight) and satirical references and nods to Paltrow’s career and GOOP lifestyle brand bring plenty of laughs.
Karp’s portrayal of Paltrow is joyously absorbing, his Swedish lilt bringing further eccentricity to the austere Hollywood star. Off-kilter line delivery, emphasis on particular words, and Paltrow-fying vocabulary e.g. Gwynocent means we hang on every line delivered by the performer, determined not to miss a single gag. Martin has the challenge of turning Sanderson – an old white man – into a source of comedy, but does well, presenting Sanderson as a fame-hungry grump.
Like Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story, this utilises the audience in roles which adds to the sense of camp awkwardness. Brad Falchuk, Terry’s girlfriend, and a shopkeeper (in this performance, Karp’s mother) are drafted in from the audience, and thrown into Gwyneth’s unabashedly queer pop culture arena. Celebrity support comes in the form of a soundtrack helmed by singer-songwriter and Drag Race music guru Leland, with original numbers performed by Darren Criss and Catherine Cohen. Trixie Mattel makes a cameo as Gwyneth’s mother, actress Blythe Danner. There’s further pop culture queerness in the opening music choices which see Karp dup over various hun pop classics with crash puns.
As well as a game audience, Gwyneth Goes Skiing also utilises puppetry with Martin using this for Sanderson’s lawyer. Cardboard cut-outs and toys represent the animals of Deer Valley which connect with Gwyneth in a Disney inspired sing-song, whilst lending the production an endearing scrappiness. At an hour and twenty minutes, Gwyneth Goes Skiing can feel somewhat lengthy in Fringe terms, perhaps benefiting from trimming some of the courtroom content or exposition prior to the collision.
Gwyneth Goes Skiing delivers countless laughs, providing a refreshingly queer perspective on celebrity culture. Karp and Martin deliver performances packed with comic gusto in this delightful Goopy satire that is set to be another hit for Awkward Productions.
Click here for Edinburgh Fringe tickets to Gwyneth Goes Skiing. The show will soon be hitting the road, with tour tickets available here.
Photo: Jonny Ruff