Nightmare on Coronation Street
Monday and Tuesday – great writing, acting, story and character development. Hard to pick one scene but that’s the task I have set myself. So, Audrey and Kylie at the salon when Kylie hopes to get her job back. It is a total nightmare for Audrey, in so many ways.
A static scene, just the two of them talking. But the ‘story’ told! Audrey’s anger and heartbreak. Kylie’s guilt combined with defiance. With facial expressions and minimal movement, both showed what was in their minds, how they felt about each other and their memories of what had happened the previous day. It was heartbreaking to watch and also kind of scary, not knowing which one of them might explode.
Kylie clearly felt bad about the maelstrom she had caused, thinking she was oh so clever. She was also scared, knowing that she had indeed pushed too many people too far. Her whole little world and its hopes and dreams might well collapse. And there was nothing she could do about it. She was also angry and feeling put upon because, after all, nothing is ever Kylie’s fault, somebody is always to blame.
What a nasty little cow!
And Audrey was badly shaken, by her own feelings of cowardice as much as by her realization of just what a nasty little cow Kylie really was. She felt betrayed and she felt herself to be a betrayer, yet she had to deal with Kylie right then as employer, business heir and granddaughter-in-law.
You could see she really just wanted to go in the back room and cry. She looked tired and fed up with dealing with nastiness and idiocy. And during this, she was herself feeling that she had been both nasty and idiotic to Marc.
Kylie put the cat amongst the pigeons by threatening to show a video she took of Audrey with “Marcia” if Audrey doesn’t rehire her. Audrey tells Marc who suggests making his alter-ego Marcia public so Kylie’s threat will be meaningless.
Marc clearly wants Marcia to come out and Audrey clearly doesn’t. But both put it in terms of what they can and cannot ask of the other, not what they themselves want. Read between the lines, you two!
Marcia is out!
So Marcia appears at the Rovers, asking “room for a little ‘un?” at the table with Audrey, Rita, Gail, Sally and Mary.
Rita and Mary, even Sally, pick their jaws off the floor quite quickly and are fine towards Marc/Marcia. Not so Gail and Audrey.
Later, Audrey tells Marc she had thought and hoped she could handle it but she can’t: their relationship is over. And she’s devastated, both at losing him and at being less open-minded than she thought she was.
Kylie, who has created chaos because David didn’t phone her on her birthday, realizes it’s all over when she sees ‘Marcia’ in the Rovers. She has no more cards up her sleeve to get out of this mess. Of course, it’s all Gail’s fault, Kylie moans to new BFF Eva, for causing what she calls this “nightmare on Coronation Street”.
Katy’s story
Another storyline I must mention as unfolding beautifully was Owen, Katy and Ches recognizing the possibility of Katy’s baby having the disease Izzy has. The writers gave a lot of material for thought and the actors portrayed it deftly. All told, these episodes were Corrie at its best.
SW Ont. Corrie fans – former Corrie actors are coming to Althouse Auditorium, UWO March 30th. Yes!
