one4review | On 12, Aug 2024

Academy Award winner, wellness guru, and fearless skier Gwyneth Paltrow has stepped into a sleepy Utah courtroom, prepared to defend her legacy in what can only be described as the campest courtroom drama ever staged.

The cast delivers a stellar performance in this brilliantly written musical, transforming an already bizarre courtroom saga into a theatrical extravaganza. Accompanied by a live band, the actors bring to life an outstanding musical score, brimming with humour and sharp references to Paltrow’s lifestyle empire.

The usually mundane roles of a judge and prosecution lawyer are hilariously reimagined. Idriss Kargbo shines as the entertainingly bewildered judge, and Tori Allen-Martin impresses with both her acting skills and vocal prowess as the prosecutor, both stunned that their quiet Utah town has been thrust into the spotlight by this high-profile case. Diana Vickers brilliantly embodies Gwyneth Paltrow, who faces off against Marc Antolin’s Terry Sightworsens, whose portrayal of a delusional, angry man is both funny and poignant—seven years after a fateful ski collision in Deer Valley.

The musical numbers, choreographed by the legendary Arlene Phillips, are a spectacle of singing and dancing, capturing the chaos and absurdity unfolding in the courtroom.

Written by Roger Dipper and Rick Pearson, and directed with flair by Shiv Rabheru, this wildly entertaining musical is a must-see. The four-person cast earned a well-deserved standing ovation for their outstanding vocals, flawless choreography, and infectious sense of fun.

*****
Reviewed by Lynn
Underbelly George Square – Udderbelly
17.45 (1hr)
Until 26 August