Furious Mattress

Years ago I walked out of a black comedy saying “I can’t believe we laughed at that!” Last night I couldn’t laugh. In fact, I didn’t even manage to smile, because, even though Legit Theatre’s Furious Mattress is an incredible production and theatrically stunning, it is also gut-wrenchingly visceral and chilling. The domestic violence it depicts – control, restraint, religious suppression, oppression, repression, harassment, cruelty ­– in the name of love and “god” is typical of the usual ‘excuse for abuse’.

And it’s based on a real story, one that happened here, in Australia, only 30 years ago! Just one of the ‘real stories’ that we read about, hear about, legislate about, hold Royal Commissions about … but that keep on happening.

Plays like Furious Mattress need to be written and produced. Playwright Melissa Reeves is brave. So is director Margaret Thanos. The subject matter of this play is harsh; the authenticity of the action even harsher. Imagine getting inside the characters! A victim who is brutally killed in the process of an exorcism! Her ‘loving’ torturers! Imagine having to play them night after night. It must be harrowing, despite the bleak humour that breaks the horror – almost.

All four actors are experienced performers, but nothing really prepares you for parts in stories like this. Thanos makes that clear in her praise of her cast and her crew.

The action takes place in a small room, sparsely furnished, the walls and floor lined with rubber foam. On a double bed lies a dead woman, Else. Her husband Pierce and neighbour Anna are waiting for her to ‘rise again’ following a violent exorcism– which we see replayed in graphic action in the second act, carried out in the company of Max: “I was a plumber for four years, and I like to think that’s not the worst apprenticeship for an exorcist”.

It's a funny line, I suppose – but what it suggests about charlatans is damn frightening. As is Anna’s protestation that she’s a “deliverer” rather than an exorcist. Both Max and Anna are scary, self-appointed amateurs, guided by ‘god’ to get multiple “devils” out of Else – a delightful free spirit who collects miniature dolls and like to read Mills and Boon.

Else is played brilliantly by Matilda Ridgway, who makes the character tenderly convincing. She finds the naïve vulnerability of the character, her tendency to disorientation, her openness, her confusedness, her wavering trust – and her growing fear. She does so with carefully timed reactions, hesitant responses, deceptive smiles – and eventually terrifying screams and shattering moans. Her control of the character is impressive.

Julian Garner is her husband, Pierce, a weak man, a little fatuous, gullible, easily influenced by religious teachings and fanaticism.  Garner uses a gruff, husky voice, sometimes almost whiney, coupled with tentative movements and confused expressions. His protestations about love and caring are insipid, yet his belief in his god doesn’t waver, especially when reinforced by Anna and Max’s denunciation of Else and their urges to violence.

Anna, played Alex Malone, is a tense woman taken in by self-belief and religious fervour. Malone makes her edgy, taut, seldom still. She is watchful, fidgety, constantly straightening het skirt, worrying her hair. There is despair behind her protestations of faith and Malone makes this aspect of Anna’s character very clear, especially as she waits for Else to “rise again”.

Shan-Ree Tan plays Max, the horrifying plumber-cum-exorcist who pushes Anna and Pierce to murder. It’s not easy to play a character everyone hates, but Tan does it well! He speaks cruelly, acts cruelly, treats Else – and Anna and Pierce – with disdain. He shows Max’s self-belief and power in a performance that bursts scarily into the play and becomes increasingly frightening.

There are ‘tricks’ in this production that make it “hilariously surreal” and effectively lift it from realism to black comedy. There also loud noises, total blackouts, a progressively loud and violent fight scene and a simulated murder. Thanos has gathered a large, talented and experience crew to support her sensitive, meticulous direction of Melissa Reeves’ very challenging play. Congratulations to all involved.

Carol Wimmer

Photographer: Robert Catto