Musical play.
While Stockade follows the main historical events which occurred around the time of the Eureka Stockade rebellion Cook sided with tradition by portraying its leader, Peter Lalor, as a romantic rebel battling against the cold-blooded Captain Thomas. He also included a fictional story about a young couple and the tragic impact the rebellion had on their lives.
The musical, which uses a folk musical format (with new lyrics added to traditional songs) and episodic representation, explores somewhat didactically the theme of violent confrontation and murder, asking the question 'why does it have to be resorted to?'
