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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 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.

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

Tom Rosenthal Social Sciences
Episodes
  • EPISODE 50: The Best Man There Ever Was

    EPISODE 50: The Best Man There Ever Was
    Aug 25 2025

    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: 'Thursday' by Daudi Matsiko

    Stream it here: https://ffm.to/thursday-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
    57 mins
  • EPISODE 49: I Go To Extremes

    EPISODE 49: I Go To Extremes
    Aug 18 2025

    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 : 'Unconditional' by Martin Luke-Brown

    Stream it here : https://ffm.to/unconditional-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
    48 mins
  • EPISODE 48: Outliers, Hugs, and Biscuit Thrusters

    EPISODE 48: Outliers, Hugs, and Biscuit Thrusters
    Aug 11 2025

    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 : 'Share The Weight' by Fran Lusty

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


    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
    55 mins
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