Serving up a delightful slathering of Hollywood Gothic is Motorhome Marilyn, currently delighting audiences in the Gilded Balloon’s Patter Hoose this Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Led by the perfect casting of British entertainment royalty Michelle Collins and the sharp writing of Ben Weatherill, this darkly comic tale of unfulfilled aspirations amidst the seedy underbelly of the entertainment world is a treat.
Denise is an aspiring performer making ends meet as a Marilyn Monroe lookalike street performer. Accompanied by her pet snake Bobby in her motorhome and extensive Marilyn memorabilia collection, Denise recounts her story, her youth, the toxic men she took on, and her dreams of cracking the entertainment world in a new Hollywood Legends show.
An unsuspecting audience will be caught off guard by the black comedy on display in Motorhome Marilyn, but are likely to find themselves syncing up with the comic beats of the piece. Those more familiar with Collins’ soap career may be surprised to see the opening scene detailing Denise’s battle with a fellow street lookalike dressed as Spiderman, which results in the slaughter of several of his beloved pet chickens. This character is just one of the toxic men that have taken on the hardy Denise in her career, with the piece going on to recount the aspiring star’s manipulation and disappointment at the hands of lecherous men.
Weatherill’s narrative strikes the balance of emotion and humour with a smooth finesse, with much of the praise due to Collins’ skilled performance. Bringing a British sensibility and matter-of-fact bluntness to a woman adorning Marilyn Monroe-inspired attire captures the collision of these two worlds: a girl from small-town England heading to the starry sights of the USA only to be met by false promises. As well as reflecting on her journey to her current predicament, Motorhome Marilyn keeps things tense and unpredictable with its neo-noir crime angle, where Denise may or may not be involved, and the lingering threat of police visits remains a continual stumbling block to her dreams of Hollywood glory.
Collins, as the sole performer on stage, grows more sure-footed as the piece progresses. She is truly watchable, bringing a salt-of-the-earth wit and gritty determination to the role of Denise. No matter how much life tries to break Denise down, there is a survivor’s mentality to her, and Collins captures this with a punchy energy. The star has an impressive comic timing, catching the dark humour with a knowing wink that the audience eventually embraces. Collins allows an element of vulnerability to crackle through in her performance, particularly in quieter moments where she channels her inner Marilyn, such as a compelling rendition of River of No Return.
Denise’s story mirrors that of her idol Marilyn, yet the narrative is flipped here, with our plucky protagonist turning the tables on her oppressors, and that is entirely satisfying to watch. In Motorhome Marilyn, glamour and grit collide, and what emerges is a bruised yet unbowed portrait of ambition, resilience and the fragile price of chasing stardom.
Motorhome Marilyn runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s Gilded Balloon. Tickets are available here.
Photography by Lucy Hayes
