Thursday August 20th 2026
Bonnyrigg actress Gail Watson
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
“I see my people of Midlothian, they are the most loyal and supportive people and I never forgot where I come from”, Gail Watson explained when mentioning familiar faces in the crowd when performing her hit Fringe show ‘Doris, Dolly and the Dressing Room Divas’.
Bonnyrigg actress Gail Watson has returned to this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, resurrecting a show with the original cast after it was first performed 11 years ago.
Coming off the back of winning The Leading Light Prize at last year’s festival for her one women show ‘Faye’s Red Lines’, Gail expressed her excitement to be returning to a familiar show with old friends.
She explained: “It was amazing walking in on the first day and how quickly the muscle memory kicks back in. I was two days into it and I was thinking that I’ve not looked at my script for my lines yet. I have now done that show for four years and literally on the second day I didn’t even need to look at my script.”
“It was so lovely to be back with the original cast”.
Doris, Dolly and the Dressing Room Divas returns as a hit Fringe show after first premiering over a decade ago. Based around five legendary divas; Dolly Parton, Doris Day, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, and Julie Andrews, the 75-minute show follows three theatre make-up artists who share witty and heartbreaking backstage tales, gossip and iconic songs from the dressing room about the popular divas. Exploring the stars’ private lives, the mix of comedy, storytelling and live music creates a show full of context, laughs and entertainment.
Written and directed by Morag Fullarton, Gail Watson performs alongside star performers like Frances Thorburn and Clare Waugh.
With rehearsals having a familiar feeling, Gail explained that the process leading up to this year’s Fringe felt ‘calm and methodical’, despite director Morag Fullarton having a brain aneurysm two weeks before rehearsals began.
“Our director was very naughty and she came to rehearsals every week”, Gail explained, “But in rehearsals we had to be calm and make all the time count. We all knew we could do it but we were concerned but we still managed.”
Despite this major upset prior to rehearsals, the return of Doris, Dolly and the Dressing Room Divas is yet again proving successful, bringing in large crowds to Gilded Balloon Patter House.
Highlighting how the festival is going so far, now being around halfway through, Gail explained: “It’s been absolutely brilliant and we’ve had really good houses so far and fantastic reviews.
“The Edinburgh Fringe website reviews have been exceptional. We had one review that we still hold on to now and it was from a woman who said that ‘this show should be prescribed by the NHS’, that’s the best review anybody could give. We have also had some pretty heavy duty folks that have given us good reviews.”
Alongside many positive reviews from the public, the show has received recognition from celebrities such as Graham Norton who attended a show and left very positive feedback.
Gail Watson performing Doris, Dolly and the Dressing Room Divas
Despite much success, such as the Fringe and her time spent performing in River City, Gail highlighted the importance of representing Midlothian on an international stage.
“I look at the audience every now and then and I can’t believe the amount of faces that are from my hometown and this is one thing I have always loved about being a Bonnyrigg girl and also choosing to reside where.”
Gail fell in love with the arts from an early age. Growing up in Bonnyrigg, she was a dancer who fell into acting at around 18 years old and saw massive career opportunities in her early 20’s. Through success at a young age, her and her childhood best friend and dance partner, Sharon Jones, founded KIC Dance Studios in Dalkeith’s Ironmills Park after converting the old football changing rooms into a state of the art hub for young dancers in Midlothian.
Gail added: “I find people from my hometown just the most honest, genuine people and I feel very lucky to have the support.”
Based in Midlothian, Gail experiences many positives during the Fringe, being close to the action of the Fringe but far out enough where she can come back to the peace of Midlothian.
“Edinburgh is crazy at the moment. People aren’t looking after the beautiful city, it’s going back to being Auld Reeky. I cannot believe how filthy Edinburgh is now, it smells and it did weeks before the festival started”, Gail added.
“I think for people who live in Edinburgh that month of August must be intense. I feel so lucky that I can get on that number three bus and come away from it all and I can get away from the crowds.”
Now 51 years old and having a rich career that is continuing to see success, Gail is forever championing up and coming actors from Midlothian.
With the debut of Bonnyrigg local Kari Hall’s Fringe show and Nathan Dunn who is making noise across the Festival, Midlothian’s creative impact is going in a positive direction.
“I champion them all so much because I know how hard the industry is”, Gail explained, “When I see local people who are genuinely talented I encourage them to keep the faith.
“This wee creative club that is coming out of Bonnyrigg, Dalkeith and Midlothian, I just want us all to have a wee party or a meal because none of us particularly came from families that have been in this business or creative backgrounds but we’ve punched through the industry. It just takes one teacher or that one person.”
Once again seeing success at this year’s Fringe, Gail is already planning projects for when the festival ends. Winning awards at the 2018 Fringe for a show named ‘My Left Right Foot’, Gail and writer Robert Sofley-Gale are planning to take the show back into development in September, aiming to reimagine the show and bring it back onto big stages.
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