The Devils of Loudun is a novel by Aldus Huxley. It is an historical story of the supposed possession by the Devil of the local clergy. It tells of mass hysteria, sexual indecency and witchcraft that occurred in 17th century France surrounding the so called unexplained events that took place in our small town of Loudun. The Story unfolds around the Catholic priest Urbain Grandier and an entire convent of Ursuline nuns, who allegedly became possessed by demons after Grandier made a pact with The Devil. The events led to several public exorcisms as well as many executions by burning alive at the stake.
The story was adapted into a play in 1960, which was then made into the controversial 1971 Ken Russell film The Devils, which starred Vanessa Redgrave and Oliver Reed a crazy film that seems as though everyone involved were on LSD. There is also an opera based on the book, Die Teufel von Loudun, by Krzysztof Penderecki, both available on DVD. The book, though lesser known than Huxley's other novels like Brave New World is widely considered one of his best works.
Three years ago the town celebrated this heritage with a wonderful display by a traveling troupe of artists who did the most amazing things with fire and started at the Place St Croix and then proceeded to the church and the scene of the burnings and ending at the the Marie for their wonderful finale.
This sort of thing would not happen in the UK due to the Health and Safty laws..............
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