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

October 6, 2025 53 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 : 'Not The Place' by Laura Reznek

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


Listen to...

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 : 'The Girl I Was' by Yasmin Hass

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


Listen to all the ...

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 : 'Send In The Harpist' by Fairhazel

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


Listen to ...

Mark as Played
September 15, 2025 59 mins

*Content warning : this episode contains references to suicide and 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 : 'Thunder and Lightning' ...

Mark as Played
September 8, 2025 31 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 New Chapter' by Niamh Regan

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


Listen to al...

Mark as Played
September 1, 2025 43 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 : '10/10' by 'Cinnabar Wood'

Stream it here : 


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

Mark as Played
August 25, 2025 56 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: 'Thursday' by Daudi Matsiko

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


Listen to all the end ...

Mark as Played
August 18, 2025 48 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 : 'Unconditional' by Martin Luke-Brown

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


Listen...

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 : 'Share The Weight' by Fran Lusty

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


Listen to all t...

Mark as Played
August 4, 2025 48 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 : 'There We Go' by Tom Rosenthal 

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


Listen to ...

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 : 'I Still Love Him Dearly' by Alice Faye

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


Li...

Mark as Played
July 21, 2025 42 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 : 'Kites' by Dirty Nice

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


Listen to all the end songs f...

Mark as Played
July 14, 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 : 'Roots' by Rosie Miles

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


Listen to all the 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: 'Certain Uncertainty' by Richard Walters

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


List...

Mark as Played
June 30, 2025 35 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 : 'For a Mother' by Natalie Wildgoose

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


Listen to all t...

Mark as Played
June 23, 2025 54 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 : 'Read it Back Aloud' by Roo Panes

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


Listen to all the end s...

Mark as Played
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
June 9, 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 : '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

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