The Harlequinade: An Excursion

The work opens as a kind of guided jaunt rather than a conventional story. It invites listeners to wander through a brightly dressed harlequin world, where the shy Columbine holds a rose and the narrator‑like Alice Whistler introduces the scene with a blend of child‑like curiosity and witty commentary. The text playfully sidesteps standard genres, promising a series of vignettes that sparkle with nostalgia, absurdity and gentle satire.

As the excursion unfolds, you meet a pastel‑clad Alice, her silver‑grey frock and mischievous eye, perched on a low chair while her uncle watches from an old porter’s seat. The narrative drifts between theatrical asides, philosophical musings, and comic observations about everyday objects—a rose, a blue curtain, a borrowed match. Listeners are treated to a lively, kaleidoscopic tableau that feels part comedy, part poetic reverie, all delivered in a warm, conversational tone.