“Gwyneth Goes Skiing” - which is based on the infamous court trial between Gwyneth Paltrow and Terry Sanderson that took place earlier this year – will debut in December. It’s already taken a piste of our hearts.
ADVERTISEMENTGwyneth Paltrow’s infamous legal battle with a renegade skiing optometrist is getting the musical treatment. What a Christmas treat!
“Gwyneth Goes Skiing” is set to debut in London this December from self-described “harbingers of queer chaos” Awkward Productions.
Linus Karp will star as Paltrow while Terry Sanderson, the optometrist who collided with her on a Utah ski slope in 2016, will be played by Joseph Martin. The show also features original musical by singer and songwriter Leland (RuPaul’s Drag Race).
You may know Karp from his role as Princess Diana in Awkward Production’s staging of “Diana: The Untold & Untrue Story” - which was described as “the most unhinged piece of theatre in existence” by website Broadway Baby.
The logline for “Gwyneth Goes Skiing” - which is based on the court trial between Paltrow and Sanderson that took place earlier this year - reads:
“She’s the Goop-founding, Door-Sliding, Shakespeare-In-Loving, consciously-uncoupling Hollywood superstar. He’s a retired Optometrist from Utah. In 2016, they went skiing. On the slopes of Deer Valley, their worlds collided, and so did they – literally. Ouch. Seven years later in 2023, they went to court. Double ouch. This is their story. Kind of. Not really. But also, it’s at Christmas.”
As a quick catch-up, Sanderson, 76, took the Oscar-winning actress and wellness guru to court after their collision, claiming he was left with a concussion, four broken ribs and a brain injury. He originally sought $3.1 million in compensation. Paltrow’s attorneys called this “utter BS” and countersued (for $1 and attorney fees), claiming Sanderson actually struck her.
The televised two-week trial became something of a viral hit, and a jury ultimately found Paltrow innocent. An example of the meme-ready, social media frenzy came about when Paltrow famously whispered to Sanderson “I wish you well” after she won.
The show at London’s Pleasance Theatre will see audience members participate as the jury. As the production company describes: “A story of love, betrayal, skiing, and (somehow) Christmas - where you are the jury!”
Sounds bonkers. Sign us up.
“Gwyneth Goes Skiing” debuts at Pleasance London Main House Cabaret in London (13-23 December). Tickets are on sale now.
We wish it well.
