Pleasance Theatre
Playing until 21st December 2024 then a World Tour in 2025
Photo credit: Jonny Ruff
Review {AD-Gifted tickets}
Ahead of a world tour in 2025, Gwyneth goes Skiing returns to the Pleasance Theatre, where it all started a year ago. On the slopes of Deer Valley, the lives of super star Gwyneth Paltrow (Linus Karp) and retired optometrist, Terry Sanderson (Joseph Martin) literally collided. Each armed with their own version of the event, Terry sued Gwyneth for $300,000 for the damage she caused him and in return, she sued him for $1.
Iconic of Awkward Productions, this show is unique, tongue in cheek, borderline ridiculous and exceptionally funny. True to the company’s tried and tested methods, the best way to immerse the audience in its eccentricity is to invite them into the action. Be warned, they aren’t joking about audience participation. However, there is no real need for concern as precise instructions are given and you just have to follow Karp and Martin's lead. I have full confidence in this dynamic duo's ability to turn any reaction and audience participation into a literal laugh out loud scenario. In particular, I would like to applaud the valiant effort of the gentleman called in to play the role of Brad Falchuk on 13th December, Paltrow’s boyfriend and then husband.
The show does not shy away from exposing the full absurdity of Goop, a company founded by Gwyneth Paltrow, and the actress’s ability to somehow bring up and advertise her company in every conversation. Through vaginal eggs, vagina smelling candles and a myriad of other products supported by pseudoscience, the audience members are well and truly ‘gooped’ by the end of the first act. Act I is sheer perfection, it is fast paced, dynamic and full of surprises, setting the perfect scene on the slopes ahead of the second scene, which takes place in the court room. However, despite the constant exchange of humour, Act II feels a little too long and a handful of jokes, including the deer of deer valley, goop-ification and optometrist vs optician, feel overused as they start to repeat themselves in the second half.
In Act II, Paltrow and Sanderson are joined by Kristin Van Orman, a puppet controlled by Martin. An avid Paltrow fan, Van Orman was completely starstruck, throwing compliments at Paltrow at every turn, heightening the ridiculousness of this case even further. You might be excused to think that some of these are blown out of proportion, and you would be right…except some of these actually happened! I shan’t be spoiling Van Orman’s actions here as that would spoil you hours of creative googling and take on the role of an amateur sleuth to unravel her professionalism yourself. Martin brings Van Orman’s behaviour to life, and venting his frustration of his own attorney when he then plays the role of Sanderson.
This is a fabulously inventive take on an insane and eccentric story. Awkward Productions has managed to blend creative dialogues, ingenious audience participation and wild puppetry into an exceptionally creative show that is the personification of not taking itself seriously.
Creatives
Written, Directed and Lyrics by: Linus Karp & Joseph Martin
Original Music and Lyrics by: Leland
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