Lost in Yonkers Lesson Plan

How does Neil Simon build tension around Grandma Kurnitz's entrance?

The audience has heard a lot about Grandma Kurnitz from different characters without ever having laid eyes on her, and the image that the other characters paint is not particularly flattering. The boys remark on the fact that she allegedly beat her children when they were young, which is the cause of Bella's arrested development. Eddie treats her like she is a highly fragile object, preparing for the meeting between her and her grandsons with over-the-top care. Additionally, Bella reacts emotionally to her mother's sternness.

What does the audience learn about Grandma Kurnitz from this first...