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Strangers on a Bench

Strangers on a Bench

By: Tom Rosenthal
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About this listen

 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 past year walking through various parks across the UK and Ireland, 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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Rosenthal Social Sciences
Episodes
  • EPISODE 77: I See Dead People

    EPISODE 77: I See Dead People
    Mar 2 2026

    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 : 'Spirit Comes to the Homewares Store' by Benny Profound

    Stream it here : https://ffm.to/spiritcomestothehomewaresstore


    Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

    https://ffm.to/soabendsongs


    ————————————————————————————


    Instagram : @strangersonabench

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    57 mins
  • EPISODE 76: Success, Sex, and The Cause

    EPISODE 76: Success, Sex, and The Cause
    Feb 23 2026


    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: 'paint dry' by Olive Klug

    Stream it here: https://ffm.to/paintdry


    Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

    https://ffm.to/soabendsongs


    ————————————————————————————


    Instagram : @strangersonabench

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    39 mins
  • EPISODE 75: Donna

    EPISODE 75: Donna
    Feb 16 2026


    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 : 'Donna' by Father of Fred

    Stream it here : https://ffm.to/donna-soab


    Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

    https://ffm.to/soabendsongs


    ————————————————————————————


    Instagram : @strangersonabench

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    41 mins
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