Strangers on a Bench

Have you ever walked past a mysterious stranger on a park bench and wondered about their lives? Tom Rosenthal (singer-songwriter by trade) has spent the last 6 months walking the many parks of London, approaching random bench-dwellers and asking if he can sit next to them and record their conversation. Every stranger remains anonymous, neither name or place of work is ever revealed (even to Tom himself), leading to greater openness, intimacy, and surprising revelations from the participants.

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Episodes

EPISODE 13: Maybe I Need To Go Home

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation. This is what happened! Produced by Tom Rosenthal Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti Mixed by Mike Woolley Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie Ashman End song : 'The Poet' by Ezra Glatt Stream it here : https://ffm.to/thepoet Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist : https://ffm.to/soabendsongs ------...

Dec 09, 2024•39 min

EPISODE 12: Quiet Chainsaw Man

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation. This is what happened! Produced by Tom Rosenthal Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti Mixed by Mike Woolley Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie Ashman End song : 'Miles and Inches' by Billie Marten Stream it here : https://ffm.to/milesandinches Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist : https://ffm.to/s...

Dec 02, 2024•18 min

EPISODE 11: If I Had a Boat

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation. This is what happened! Produced by Tom Rosenthal Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti Mixed by Mike Woolley Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie Ashman End song 'If I Had a Boat' by Chris Brain Stream it here : https://ffm.to/ifihadaboat Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist : https://ffm.to/soabendso...

Nov 25, 2024•25 min

EPISODE 10: Shall We Roll Down the Hill?

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation. This is what happened! Produced by Tom Rosenthal Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti Mixed by Mike Woolley Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie Ashman End song : 'Golden Now' by Will Cookson Listen here : https://ffm.to/goldennow Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist : https://ffm.to/soabendsongs ---...

Nov 18, 2024•24 min

EPISODE 9: Deli Meets

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.This is what happened! Produced by Tom Rosenthal Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti Mixed by Mike Woolley Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie Ashman End song : 'Nice to Meet You' by Tom Odell Stream it here : https://ffm.to/nicetomeetyou Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist : https://ffm.to/soabend...

Nov 11, 2024•28 min

EPISODE 8: Youngest of Six

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.This is what happened! Produced by Tom Rosenthal Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti Mixed by Mike Woolley Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie Ashman End song : 'Everything I Need' by Maddie Ashman Listen to it here : https://ffm.to/everythingineedsong Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist : https://...

Nov 04, 2024•23 min

EPISODE 7: The Disappearing Cyclist

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.This is what happened! Produced by Tom Rosenthal Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti Mixed by Mike Wooley Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie Ashman End song : 'Yellow Fedora' by Hohnen Ford Listen to it here : https://ffm.to/yellowfedora Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist : https://ffm.to/soabend...

Oct 28, 2024•39 min

EPISODE 6: Love, Death, and Parisians

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation. This is what happened! Produced by Tom Rosenthal Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti Mixed by Mike Woolley Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie Ashman End song : 'To Be Held' by Augusta Listen to it here : https://ffm.to/tobeheld Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist : https://ffm.to/soabendsongs ---...

Oct 21, 2024•29 min

EPISODE 5: Michael's Tree

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation. This is what happened! Produced by Tom Rosenthal Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti Mixed by Mike Woolley Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie Ashman End song : Michael's Tree by Sammy Copley Listen to it here : https://ffm.to/michaelstree Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist : https://ffm.to/soabe...

Oct 14, 2024•28 min

EPISODE 4: Making Miniatures by the Sea

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation. This is what happened! Produced by Tom Rosenthal Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti Mixed by Mike Woolley Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie Ashman End song : 'By The Ocean Side' by November Ultra Listen here : https://ffm.to/bytheoceanside Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist : https://ffm.to/so...

Oct 07, 2024•17 min

EPISODE 3: I Threw My Phone in the Pond

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation. This is what happened! Produced by Tom Rosenthal Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti Mixed by Mike Woolley Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie Ashman End song : You'll Never Be John Cleese by Alex Brenchley Listen to it here : https://ffm.to/soabsong3 Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist : https://...

Sep 30, 2024•19 min

EPISODE 2: Fruit Sculptures for Breakfast

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger in a London park and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation. This is what happened! Producer by Tom Rosenthal Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti Mixed by Mike Woolley Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie Ashman End song : Fruit Sculptures by Sophie May Listen to it here : https://ffm.to/soabsong2 Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist : https://ffm.to/soabend...

Sep 30, 2024•32 min

EPISODE 1: A Fight

Tom Rosenthal approaches a random stranger in a park in London and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation. This is what happened! Produced by Tom Rosenthal Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti Mixed by Mike Woolley Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie Ashman End song 'Tryna Change' by Yvonne MK Listen to it here : https://ffm.to/strangersonabench1 Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist : https://...

Sep 30, 2024•31 min

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