''Murder in the Silo'' is a 1937 radio drama by

Edmund Barclay Edmund Piers Barclay (2 May 1898 – 26 August 1961) was an English-Australian writer known for his work in radio drama. Radio historian Richard Lane called him "Australian radio's first great writer and, many would say, Australian radio's gr ...

. It was described as a psychological melodrama and was very popular at a time when Australian set radio dramas were relatively rare. Leslie Rees called it "one of the most effective of our shorter radio plays." Barclay's script was published in a collection of one-act plays in 1937, ''

Best Australian One-Act Plays ''Best Australian One-Act Plays'' is a 1937 collection of Australian one-act plays. It was published at a time when Australian playwriting was relatively rare. Twenty one plays were selected out of 200 by William Moore and T. Inglis Moore. The '' ...

''. The play was produced by BBC radio in 1938. The play was produced again in Australia in 1939, 1941, 1942, 1945 and 1953. (It was usually presented on a double bill with another short play.)

Reception

''The Bulletin'' called it "more than ordinarily good. It is a mystery-thriller, making the usual bald bid for the listener’s curiosity and subsequent undisguised attack on his feelings, but it also gives what appears to be an authentic glimpse of certain Australian types and an aspect of Australian rural life hitherto unportrayed." ''Wireless Weekly'' called it "a well-constructed melodrama with an unusual setting." The play's use of hearing the lead character's thoughts in the style of

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of realism, earlier ...

was praised by

Max Afford Malcolm R. Afford (8 April 1906 – 2 November 1954) known as Max Afford, was an Australian playwright and novelist. Biography Early years Afford was born in Adelaide, South Australia, the youngest son of Robert D. Afford of "Glenleigh", Sta ...

Premise

An old swagman explains why it is bad to ride in a wheat truck. A man operates the machines of a wheat- silo. A mate asks him for a job. The operator takes him up to the top and pushes him into the silo because of a woman. The narrator passes by and takes the dead man's swag. He meets the killer on a train. The sign of a man among the wheat and his victim’s swag, sends the murderer overboard with a hideous shriek.

References

{{reflist

External links

Murder in the Silo
at AustLit
Murder in the Silo
at Ausstage 1937 Australian radio dramas Radio plays by Edmund Barclay 1939 Australian radio dramas 1941 Australian radio dramas 1942 Australian radio dramas 1945 Australian radio dramas 1953 Australian radio dramas Australian radio dramas set in the outback Australian radio dramas that have been published