My Shows
News on your favorite shows, specials & more!

EDINBURGH 2025: Review: MOTORHOME MARILYN, Gilded Balloon

Motorhome Marilyn runs at Edfringe until 25 August

By:
EDINBURGH 2025: Review: MOTORHOME MARILYN, Gilded Balloon

EDINBURGH 2025: Review: MOTORHOME MARILYN, Gilded Balloon Image

Motorhome Marilyn is the debut Fringe appearance of Michelle Collins. The play was inspired by someone Collins met and was initially worked on by Stewart Permutt and then completed by Ben Weatherill

Denise is a 60 year old woman in a trailer in Vegas. Originally from England, she has headed for the bright lights of Vegas to pursue her dream of being a Marilyn Monroe impersonator. She’s fascinated by Marilyn and her trailer is a shrine to the starlet.

For some inexplicable reason, the hour-long monologue is delivered to Denise’s pet snake Bobby. There is a darker back story but it takes far too long to get there, making this quite the slog to get through. 

Collins is a likable performer, but as we are now out of previews at the Fringe, there isn’t the same forgiveness for fluffed lines. As an impersonator, she’s good and as a singer, she’s great so it’s a shame that more of that isn’t utilised in the play.

Denise draws parallels between Marilyn’s life and her own and there is some potential there, but the points get lost in a rambling script. Motorhome Marilyn is not a bad idea, but its execution is somewhat lacking.



Reader Reviews

To post a comment, you must register and login.






Don't Miss a Scotland News Story
Sign up for all the news on the Spring season, discounts & more...


Videos


Patient 13 in Scotland Patient 13
Zoo (Playground 2) (8/07-8/30) VIDEOS
How Not to Make it in America in Scotland How Not to Make it in America
Summerhall (Former Gent’s Locker Room) (8/06-8/31)
Venue Premium - Two Doors Down in Scotland Venue Premium - Two Doors Down
OVO Hydro (9/25-10/11)
Giraffe in Scotland Giraffe
Pleasance Courtyard (Cellar) (8/05-8/31)
Glass Child in Scotland Glass Child
Summerhall (Old Lab) (8/06-8/16)
The Second Best School Shooting in Scotland The Second Best School Shooting
Pleasance Courtyard (8/05-8/30)
Tell Me in Scotland Tell Me
Summerhall (Dissection Room) (8/07-8/31)
Sapphire McIntosh: Squeaky Bum Time in Scotland Sapphire McIntosh: Squeaky Bum Time
Unerbelly Bristo Square - Daisy Room (8/05-8/30)
Giovanni: Unstoppable in Scotland Giovanni: Unstoppable
Alhambra Theatre (4/11-4/11)
100 Years of Magic in Scotland 100 Years of Magic
Aberdeen Arts Centre (9/04-9/05) PHOTOS