In the remote outback of Victoria in 1993, Ralph Vollmer believed his wife, Joan, was possessed.
Ralph enlisted members of his local religious community to perform an exorcism, hoping to rid Joan of the ten demons they believed controlled her. What followed was a horrific four-day ordeal that ended in Joan’s death.
Margaret Thanos is the director of Furious Mattress, a play based on Joan Vollmer’s tragic story. It raises the question: what are the ethics of turning a real-life tragedy into entertainment?
You can find tickets to see Furious Mattress here.
THE END BITS
CREDITS
Guest: Margaret Thanos
Host: Gemma Bath
Producer: Tahli Blackman
Audio Producer: Jacob Round
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Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
