Friday, 2nd February 2024 at Pleasance Theatre, London
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Reviewer: Emma Dorfman
Based on real events- which you can hardly believe actually happened- Awkward Productions’ Gwyneth Goes Skiing is a deliciously campy drag/comedy that, despite the occasional hiccup, will leave any audience member (in the words of Linus Karp’s Gwyneth) “gooped and gagged” for more.
The piece is a triumph for its off-the-cuff, improvisational moments and hilarious verbatim interventions, but it ultimately soars in its ability to wrangle audience members and make them a part of the hijinks between Gwyneth Paltrow and “regular Joe” Dr. Terry Sanderson.
The show, as you may have gathered by the title, follows the infamous skiing accident between Paltrow and an aloof optometrist from Utah. In real life, Sanderson sues Paltrow for $3 million for allegedly skiing into him at Deer Valley Ski Resort in 2016. By the time the trial comes around in 2023, much has changed: just as in real life, Gwyneth’s then-boyfriend is now-husband, Brad Falchuk (played by a very committed and pre-chosen audience member). And unlike real life, Sanderson has lowered his claim to a convenient $300,000— the same amount he paid for a Deer of Deer Valley necklace for his then-girlfriend, now-ex girlfriend, Charlene (played by yet another pre-chosen audience member).
As you can tell from the above, writers and performers Linus Karp and Joseph Martin are unafraid to embellish the events surrounding the real life accident, and they cleverly employ the audience to add some fun to moments that stray wildly from verbatim.
One standout moment: in Act II, set in 2023, Gwyneth decides to bring a surprise witness to the stand for her trial. Spontaneously selecting a member of the audience, Gwyneth introduces the audience member as an Accident Reconstruction Expert. His findings are presented on chart paper, on a stand rolled on by a very cooperative stagehand.
As they move through “the slides,” stick figures emerge, appearing to be skiing towards each other. The expert is asked to summarise his findings: “It looks like he’s about to crash into you, Gwen,” the audience member states. In the final slide, showing a never ending series of mathematical equations, the “expert” is asked to summarise the physics behind his conclusion. Moments like these put a hilarious onus on the audience, keeping everyone in the room in suspense. Even though the burden lies with the chosen audience member, though, Karp and Martin have this strange magical way of holding their hand every step of the way.
This perhaps speaks to the duo’s wider improvisational ability. Accidents can and will happen; this is the beauty of live performance. But this pair certainly knows how to shake it off. In Act I, as Gwyneth and Dr. Sanderson ski alongside one another, the turntable onstage starts moving. At this performance, it began moving backwards. Without a moment of hesitation, Gwyneth chimes in, “Oh, we’re skiing backwards today.” Sanderson retorts, “Only in Deer Valley!” Karp and Martin are just as attuned to each other as they are with their audience.
There are many, many more elements to the show that add to the campy fun and overall ridiculousness inherent in the piece. There are a series of woodland creatures on the Deer Valley Ski Slopes (voiced by Leland, Sam Carlyle, and Wes Maddocks) who guide Gwyneth on the fateful day. There are also a few catchy musical numbers (courtesy of Leland) that I still find myself bopping to in my head now.
What’s more, hilariously bonkers (but incredibly apt) ski-themed choreography (by Sam Carlyle). Gwyneth’s daughter, Apple, is naturally played by an apple on a stick, held by the same, gracious stagehand. And finally, Linus Karp is an impeccable Gwyneth. The wig (Styled by Vodka) is not the only thing that is spot-on: every intentionally stiff gesture, every slightly condescending lilt in Karp’s voice, every odd Gwyneth-ism (i.e. “I’m consciously uncoupling myself from this conversation”) adds more to the illusion and, of course, to the comedy.
Gwyneth Goes Skiing is a raucous night that will keep every audience member on their toes: a must-see for any theatre maker wanting to make their audience an integral part of the storytelling.
Gwyneth Goes Skiing is at the Pleasance Theatre, London until February 16th 2024 – more information and tickets can be found here.
Always Time For Theatre 