Strangers on a Bench

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

Episodes

June 16, 2025 46 mins

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: 'A Seal Called Noon' by Alice Boyd

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


Listen to all end songs...

Mark as Played

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 : 'Disappear' by Lisa Hannigan

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


Listen to all end songs feat...

Mark as Played

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 and mixed by Eloise Whitmore

Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton 

Incidental music by Maddie Ashman


End song: 'Might Go Outside' by Seb Lowe

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


Listen to all end songs featured on the po...

Mark as Played
May 26, 2025 35 mins

**Content warning : contains description of violent abuse**

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 music: 'My Friend Robin' by Edward Cross

Stream it here...

Mark as Played
May 19, 2025 27 mins

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: 'Probably Nothing' by Luke Sital-Singh

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


Listen to all end s...

Mark as Played

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: 'Sculptor' by Tamzene

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


Listen to all end songs featured on th...

Mark as Played

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: 'My Father Never Told Me He Loved Me' by Michael McGovern

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

Mark as Played
April 28, 2025 39 mins

**Content warning : Injury detail**

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: 'Follow The Blood' by Georgia Ruth

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

Mark as Played
April 21, 2025 36 mins

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 and mixed by Eloise Whitmore

Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton 

Incidental music by Maddie Ashman


End song: 'There Are Many Ways To Say I Love You' by Edgar Hurley

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


Li...

Mark as Played
April 14, 2025 33 mins

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: 'Where Goodbye Begins' by Flo Perlin

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


Listen to all end ...

Mark as Played

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: 'Coloured Glasses' by Uwade

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


Listen to all end songs featur...

Mark as Played


**Content warning : this episode discusses self-harm**

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: 'Losing You' by Fauzia

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

Mark as Played
March 24, 2025 28 mins

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: 'A Dancer's Mind' by Birdy

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


Listen to all the end songs featur...

Mark as Played
March 17, 2025 32 mins

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: 2 > 1 by Will Joseph Cook

Stream here: https://ffm.to/2greaterthan1


Listen to all the end songs featur...

Mark as Played
March 10, 2025 32 mins

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: £5 Bread by Lily Lyons

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


Listen to all end the songs featured...

Mark as Played
March 3, 2025 32 mins

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 & mixed by Eloise Whitmore

Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton 

Incidental music by Maddie Ashman


End song : 'The Teacher Will Appear' by Danny Casio

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


Listen to all end the ...

Mark as Played
February 24, 2025 32 mins

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: 'Neighbors' by Genevieve Stokes

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


Listen to all the end songs ...

Mark as Played
February 17, 2025 25 mins

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 : Another Home by afromerm

Listen here : https://ffm.to/anotherhome


Listen to all the end songs featured o...

Mark as Played
February 10, 2025 32 mins

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 : 'Flying The Nest' by Merrick Winter

Listen here : https://ffm.to/flyingthenest


Listen to all the end son...

Mark as Played
February 3, 2025 26 mins

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 : 'Powerful Things' by The Howl & The Hum

Listen here : https://ffm.to/powerfulthings


Listen to a...

Mark as Played

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