Cheshire Narrator:

“A boat beneath a sunny sky,

Lingering onward dreamily

In an evening of July —“ 

MILLICENT: My sister has always been curious, but to be quite honest, a little too curious to allow, although she’s seemingly never much concerned with the consequences that come from such a voracious appetite for the unknown.

To be completely fair, however, she’s not much concerned with anything at all.

I, on the other hand, am always concerned. 

I carefully calculate evidence & information, each in equal estimation, adjusting for my own bias, ostensibly objective, positioning pitfalls & possibilities before committing to any action. I would like to say I do so with complete calm & composure, lest you imagine me a hapless hurricane of obsession. Even still, in spite of my best efforts, I typically remain unconvinced in the absolute nature of my decisions & continuously re-evaluate the foils & wrinkles, snags & stitches, firmly fixed forever in pursuit of what is proper.

I have no whims or wants, that is to say, a personal position I prefer, among the myriad of means I can, but rather aim only to capture, carefully, some form of clarity on what I should. As the eldest especially, I seek to set a satisfactory example for my siblings & how would I guide reliably, but not for carrying a compass? 

Therein lies my lament. 

I have been deficient in developing a dependable instinct.

Positively paralyzed from always analyzing, 

I consume copious copies of every book bought & bound by the local shops, & father’s study is full, fit to burst with a bevy of authors; Bacon to Babbage, Abelard to Aristotle, & anything alike therein. I want for nothing in instances of intellectual inquiry. What I lack — long for! — is direction. I crave a cornerstone, no, a foundation! A foundation so firmly fettered as to guide. A steadfast weight to magnetize & provide the guidance I sorely sought for my surly sister.

To this end I write, welcoming any wonder, or inspiration! Anything at all.

We have, my sister & I, left the grounds to lay under, ultimately, umbrellas of hanging shade from the largest tree, near the meadow, below Mother's rose bushes. I've brought a basket full of baked goods & books for reading near the bank, as it's the ideal location for lounging & leaving your cares behind. The heat is horrible, however, though picking daisies was never our purpose. I have hid our purpose partially by not planning, put succinctly; but also to ensure unequivocally that my sister join me. As I've said, she's not much a fan of parchment without pictures, but a flower crown can carry her anywhere.

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Thanks for listening to this preview of Phantomwise. Phantomwise will be coming to podcatchers everywhere on June 28th!

Phantomwise stars Beth Crane, Beth Eyre, Jordan Adika, and Fiona Thraille. Dialogue editing and placement was done by Gabriel Alvarez, Score composed by Adam Raymonda.  Phantomwise was written and produced by A.R. OLIVIERI and directed and executive produced by PJ Scott-Blankenship. Based on the work of Lewis Carroll. You can find out more at http://phantomwisepod.com or our twitter/instagram: @phantomwisepod

If you enjoy our show, consider checking out our sister series, Hit the Bricks. A musical radio-play based on the Oz books starring Michelle Agresti. You can listen to Hit the Bricks on any podcatcher, or by going to http://hitthebricks.com Thanks again!