In the BBC drama A Passionate Woman, which is set in the 1980′s and 1950′s, middle aged Betty Stevenson (Sue Johnston) is getting organised for the forthcoming wedding of her son. It’s the 1980′s and as she tries on a dress that she used to wear thirty years before she thinks back to the nineteen fifties when, as a young married woman (now played by Billie Piper), she begins an intense affair with the also married Alex Crazenovski (aka Craze).
As the pair make plans to run away together Craze’s wife Moira announces she is pregnant. Betty feels betrayed but Craze persuades her to stick to their plan, however when Craze doesn’t turn up at the agreed time Betty is more than shocked to discover that he has been shot dead by Moira.
Back in the eighties, Betty begins to unravel as the wedding preparations continue.
Kay Mellor had previously produced A Passionate Woman as a play at The Yorkshire Playhouse and based the drama on the facts surrounding her own mother’s life. It has to be said that as strong as the drama is Billie Piper and Sue Johnston who play the fifties and eighties Betty look absolutely nothing like each other.
Cast: BILLIE PIPER as Fifties Betty Stephenson; SUE JOHNSTON as Eighties Betty Stephenson; THEO JAMES as Alex “Craze” Crazenovski; KELLY HARRISON as Fifties Moira; BARBARA MARTEN as Eighties Moria; JOE ARMSTRONG as Fifties Donald Stephenson; ALUN ARMSTRONG as Eighties Donald; ANDREW LEE POTTS as Eighties Mark
Writer: Kay Mellor from her own play / Production Design: Grant Montgomery / Directors: Kay Mellor, Antonia Bird
UK / BBC One / 2×90 minute episodes / Broadcast 11-18 April 2010 Sundays at 9.00pm
