Michelle Collins makes her Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut in Motorhome Marilyn, a darkly comic new play by Ben Weatherill, inspired by an idea from Collins herself and the late Stuart Permutt. The production runs at Doonstairs, Gilded Balloon Patter House, from 30 July to 25 August 2025 (excluding 13 August) at 5:30pm.
Set in the 1980s, Motorhome Marilyn follows Denise, an aspiring actress obsessed with Marilyn Monroe, who travels to Hollywood in pursuit of fame and beauty. As her dreams unravel, Denise is forced to confront the painful reality of unfulfilled ambition and the emotional cost of idolising an unattainable ideal.
The play is inspired by Michelle Collins’ real-life encounter with a woman known as Motorhome Marilyn in Los Angeles. Directed by Alexandra Spencer-Jones, with sound design by Sam Baxter and stage management by Anna-Lisa Maree, the production explores themes of failure, ageing, and identity with humour and poignancy.
Michelle Collins, known for her roles in EastEnders, Coronation Street, and Doctor Who, brings decades of stage and screen experience to this deeply personal role. She describes the play as “dark, funny and so close to my heart,” and looks forward to sharing it with Edinburgh audiences.
Produced by The Production Garden Limited and IT Worx, Motorhome Marilyn promises to be a standout piece of new writing at this year’s Fringe.
