The Drama Queen

That would be Bev Unwin. It's a bit hard to be critical of the woman when she's lost her meal ticket future husband on the day of the wedding. I know that's devastating. Call me skeptical but i don't believe Bev *really* loved Fred. Oh yes, she cared for him, he's a lovely man. But our man-eating Bev has been scratching at the zipper of a few hot sexy younger met and ogling a few more, usually under the alcofluence of incohol, ever since we've known her. She was married to Shelley's father for 27 years and then was widowed. She also lost her other daughter who, from accounts, had never had good health. The poor woman seems to have been in a downward spin ever since.

On our screens, she's been fond of a few gins of an evening and usually got louder, sloppier and obnoxious with it. It's no surprise she's jumped into the bottle after this latest shock. She had her future all mapped out. Good man who wasn't short of a bob or two in the bank. Pub over which she would landlady-lord it. Ready made step-family and a new grandchild on the way. All to have the rug yanked out from under her at the very last minute and have another woman seemingly at the root of it.

True, Audrey should have kept her feelings to herself but she selfishly stepped into Fred's world and tossed it upside down. The stress sure didn't help but let's face it, Fred *was* a health crisis waiting to happen.

All that aside, a drunken, bereaved and bitter Bev has been very funny to watch. Toppling sideways off a bar stool, carrying Fred's ashes around through the bar, probably even into the loo, and then most recently, giving half of the ashes to Ashley, stored in a gravy granule jar. That was so bizarre and ridiculous that it was sublime! You can just picture Bev at the table in the back room, swaying with gin in one hand, measuring cup in the other, siphoning Fred into the Bovril jar, thinking that will get Ashley off her back and Blanche's guilt trips at bay.

Blanche really hit it on the nail too, accusing Bev of her daily performance while Ashley was exhibiting real and quietly devastating grief in the butcher shop. Not to take away from Bev's grief. It's very real, but her way of expressing it is to get as much sympathy from as many people as possible. Wearing her flouncy lavender wedding outfit to the funeral (as Ken pointed out, very Miss Havisham, and by the way, it's odd that Blanche would criticize Eileen for wearing a red skirt and say nothing about Bev's wedding gear). Telling Fred's coffin "I Do!" after a drunken speech. Staggering around with Fred under one arm and a large drink in the other. Calling Fred her husband and hissing at Audrey whenever she appears. It all might seem ridiculous to you but i find it funny in a black humour sort of way. It actually serves to counter Ashley's grief and make it even more poignant, i think. It's another example of Corrie balancing the sad and dramatic with a bit of humour, albeit a bit from the dark side.