Pirates at the Barn

Pirates at the Barn is a 1948 Australian stage play for children.^[1] It made its debut in 1948 and was very popular, being performed at the Minerva Theatre in 1949.^[2] The cast for that production included Grant Taylor and John Meillion.^[3]

Pirates at the Barn
Written by	Eleanor Witcombe
Date premiered	1948
Place premiered	Mosman Children's Theatre
Original language	English
Subject	pirates
Genre	children's play
Setting	Mosman Bay 1839

The play was revived a number of times including ones in 1966.^[4] A 1979 production on Clark Island in Sydney Harbour was directed by Neil Armfield. The play was also performed in England.

Witcome wrote other plays for children including The Bushrangers and Smugglers Beware.^[5][6] Leslie Rees later wrote Witcombe "won unusually widespread popularity with" these plays adding, "Using a simple stage, she has a gift for making a story move, and keep moving, in the most droll or sharply accented way. She knows exactly how to reach the heart of a child audience."^[7]

Witcombe adapted the play into a book which was published in 1963.

Premise

In 1839 pirates infest Mosman Bay.