The Play of the Silver Sword is a stage adaptation of the celebrated children’s novel by Ian Serraillier, which follows the story of the Balicki family as they trek across war-torn Europe in search of their lost parents, accompanied by the street-urchin Jan and his talisman— the Silver Sword.
This moving drama, told in Brechtian style, has proved immensely popular with schools and youth theatre groups, selling over 50,000 copies in its Heinemann Educational edition and being performed all over the country, including a noteworthy presentation at the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre.
With 45 named characters, it can be performed with a cast of 25 upwards and is particularly suitable for actors in the age range 10-14.
Currently out-of-print. Schools or youth groups considering the play for performance should contact the author. 
(web image courtesy the Yvonne Arnaud Youth Theatre, Guildford, March 2017)
