Moon of madness

A breezy summer afternoon in a genteel garden‑city house sets the stage for a clash of personalities and expectations. Nanette, a headstrong eighteen‑year‑old, flirts with mischief as she argues for a visit to a massive German liner anchored in the bay, while her parents, especially her father, cling to propriety. Around her, a rotating cast of polished young men—Jack Kelton, the Oxford‑trained gentleman, and the meticulous Ensleigh—offer polite deference, each caught between youthful enthusiasm and the constraints of their social world.

The dialogue crackles with witty repartee, from Nanette’s unabashed love of lager to the thinly veiled tensions over a mysterious Mr. Kirby. As the family debates the propriety of a simple excursion, a subtle undercurrent hints that the ship and its passengers may bring more than just a scenic outing. Listeners will be drawn into a world of elegant manners, restless youth, and the sense that something inevitable is about to set sail.