Review: Gwyneth Goes Skiing, Fringe 2024

Birdy was excited to get down to the Pleasance Courtyard, and take her place in the mile-long queue to finally watch Gwyneth Goes Skiing – worth it!

Ever since I saw the last two shows from Awkward Productions (Joseph Martin and Linus Karp) at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe (and they became my favourite things!), I’ve been following the news of Gwyneth Goes Skiing with a great deal of interest.

After all, I can’t think of anyone better to make the whole surreal Paltrow vs Sanderson court case into a play, and knew it’d be another instant hit. And I was right!

The format

This is a play based on the true events that happened between award-winning actress and entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow and retired optometrist Terry Sanderson back in 2016 – and it’s also one of the silliest plays you’re going to see at the Fringe, so buckle up.

However, one element I absolutely love about Gwyneth Goes Skiing is that there isn’t just a good deal of willing audience participation, (similar to Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story which I first reviewed last year) – the audience also are made to be the jury, and get to decide who wins via a QR code at the end.

We met “Gwyneth Paltrow” yesterday and she invites audiences to come and decide the legal case against her https://t.co/f6CaeZsvAC pic.twitter.com/ZKCybEngFN

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) August 1, 2024

The vibe

The vibes are schadenfreude and GOOPness, along with the same slightly surreal, unhinged brand of comedy that make Awkward Productions just so addictive. The constantly deadpan stage assistant with her seemingly endless props, and Gwyneth’s daughter being an actual apple, are just perfect.

It’s a very busy show, the audience is absolutely packed, and from the moment you take your seat whilst listening to the video montage with edited music tracks with the words ‘SKIING’ and ‘COURT’ added in, you know it’s going to be one of the Fringiest shows you’re going to see this year.

Unfortunately I got there too late so got a seat quite near the back, but Gwyneth and Terry do take the show up to the audience at one point (whilst kicking a couple of people out of their seats).

The show itself

Gwyneth Goes Skiing is everything I could have wanted in a play about the 2016 accident and the following 2023 court case. So much planning and stage elements have gone into getting this show just right.

From the minute we see Gwyneth (played by Linus) take to slopes in her pretty pink skiing outfit, and having her Disney princess-esque moment with the animals – including the chaos squirrel – to her one-sided conversations with an actual apple, and Terry’s less-than-perfect day (really bringing on the belly laughs), the entire show is comedy gold.

I wasn’t prepared for how fabulous the musical numbers were going to be, and I was also really glad to see Joseph Martin getting into such a great character role with Terry Sanderson – and his puppet attorney – in this show, because he’s absolutely hilarious. And also ‘just Terry being Terry’.

Apparently, the day I saw the show was the first time the audience chose a loss for Gwyneth! Depending on how the audience votes, the show ends differently, but both with a fantoosh and funny musical number. Oh, and did I mention there’s also a nice little cameo from Trixie Mattel?! Love it.

Finally, GAY RIGHTS! YESSSSSSS. Thank you for always being so amazing, Linus.

Overall

Gwyneth Goes Skiing is a play the world didn’t know it needed, but now it’s here at the Fringe, you really need to check it out! I had a fabulous time, and would definitely see it again.

I also can’t wait to see what Awkward Productions come up with next! Just be warned; the show is actually quite long (3:30pm to around 5:15pm), so make sure you take a toilet break first!