Once and Music to Make Boys Cry hitmaker Diana Vickers leads I Wish You Well – The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski-Trial Musical, which alongside Gwyneth Goes Skiing, comprises of two Gwyneth Paltrow ski trial pieces taking stage at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year. Packed with high-energy musical numbers, queer pop culture references, and dazzling comic performances I Wish You Well is an absolute treat.
I Wish You Well takes us to a Utah courtroom where Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow is set to take the stand against Dr Sightworsens seven years after a ski collision in Deer Valley. The courtroom fizzes with excitement as the small town legal professionals from a fangirling prosecution lawyer to a fabulous judge aim to get the truth out of the star and retired optometrist.
Roger Dipper and Rick Pearson provide the book and lyrics for I Wish You Well – including the rousing comic title track and delightfully pun-filled pop number Gwynocent. The four person cast bring big vocals, immaculate choreography and most importantly an infectious sense of fun to the production which takes residence in George Square’s Underbelly.
Director Shiv Rabheru truly emphasises the camp appeal of the celebrity legal trial, littering the production with deliciously delivered pop culture references such as a nod to Naomi Campbell’s iconic “This is a big inconvenience for me. I really don’t want anything to do with this,” and finding humour mad verbatim moments including Taylor Swift questioning and Paltrow’s loss of half a day of skiing. The humour in this lands effectively throughout with Vickers’ Paltrow finding comic bullseyes throughout in her austere, Goop-centric Hollywood star. Supporting players including the Judge (the fearlessly entertaining Idriss Kargbo), prosecution lawyer (a fantastic, vocally impressive Tori Allen-Martin) and Sightworsens (Marc Antolin, bringing humour to the challenging role of angry white man) shine in high-energy supporting performances.
Musical numbers with choreography from Arlene Philips arrive with a polish, whilst David Shields’ production design impresses in capturing the rustic Utah courtroom. There’s a versatility to this staging with props swivelled and adapted at high speeds, ensuring energy levels remain high throughout this punchy hour long show.
I Wish You Well is a dazzling, campy delight that turns a celebrity ski trial into a high-energy, laugh-out-loud musical. With sharp performances, infectious fun, and a flurry of pop culture gems, this Fringe production is a must-see for anyone craving a blend of satire, starry musical numbers, and sheer entertainment.
For tickets to I Wish You Well – The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski-Trial Musical check here.
Photo: Mark Senior