Short Cuts

Josie Long presents stories of messages sent across borders. Unsent postcards, a last message and the journey for home. An old handwritten note, in pursuit of a woman who ran away, leads to a town submerged in water; the writer Laura Barton discovers a tranche of muted, unsent missives in a storage box; and we hear the voices of those who are far from home. Dear Martha Produced by Rikke Houd Envision Yourself a Free Man First made as part of the Restorative Radio project http://www.restorativeradio.org/audio-postcards-2/ Produced by Sylvia Ryerson A Very Different Time Produced by Phil Smith Unsent Featuring Laura Barton Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

"We are here to help each other get through this thing, whatever it is." Josie Long presents short documentaries and radio adventures in the spirit of Kurt Vonnegut, shortly before the tenth anniversary of his death - from peculiar travel suggestions to the kindness contained in a library. The writer Joe Dunthorne also engages Vonnegut in a dialogue, inspired by God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian. We are here to help each other get through this thing, whatever it is. Produced by Phil Smith Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God Featuring Roger Haworth, Evan Doorbell and Mark Bernay Produced by Cicely Fell Reporter on the Afterlife Featuring Joe Dunthorne and Kurt Vonnegut Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

How do we talk to people we disagree with? How do we learn to listen? Josie Long presents short documentaries and stories about communicating across the divide. From the holocaust survivor who's dedicated her life to talking to those who hurt her to the musician who believes the world can be understood through the medium of counterpoint. Counterpoint Featuring Giovanni Dettori Produced by Rachel Simpson Isolated Incidents Featuring Nikesh Shukla A version of this story was first published on Burnt Roti http://www.burntroti.com/blog/isolated-incidents Forgiveness Featuring Eva Kor Produced by Claire Crofton Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

Josie Long hears stories of courage, fresh hope and pinball wizardry - from two lawyers who pursue a sudden courageous career change in middle age to the pursuit of new love after loss. The items in the programme are: Go For It! Featuring Rev. Zenji Nio Produced by Just Be Cuz Geis and Geis: Pinball Machine Distributors Featuring Ruth and Jim Geis Produced by Sarah Geis Leap Featuring Laura Barton The Understudy Produced by Sophie Townsend with Mira Burt-Wintonick and Cristal Duhaime Originally made for the CBC podcast series Love Me http://www.cbc.ca/radio/loveme/episode-7-make-believe-1.3681206 Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

Josie Long presents documentaries about time and timing. From losing your grasp on the passing hours to a childhood fear of Sundays - how our experience of time gets under our skin. The features in this programme are: Tick Tick Tick Produced by Steve Urquhart Escaping the Present Featuring Sarah Shourd Produced by Andrea Rangecroft The Cymbal Crash Featuring Jim Gordon Produced by Maartje Duin Sundays Produced by Shanida Scotland Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

Josie Long presents stories of those who have pretended to be someone they're not. From an undercover cop to stars of the art world caught in an elaborate fiction. The features in this programme are: The Connor Brothers Featuring James Golding, Mike Snelle and Marion Harris Produced by Jodie Taylor Wife of a Terrorist Featuring Miss L A version of this story first appeared in the essay collection, The Good Immigrant. Undercover Featuring Ron Stallworth Produced by Claire Crofton Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

Josie Long hears stories of hope found amidst the darkness - tales of love letters, hope on the water and the man who has steered 28,000 people safely to shore across treacherous waters from the end of a phone line. "I must admit I'm deeply impressed by people who step out and do something and say something... whatever dreaming they would do it. A Mexican farm worker Jessie De La Cruz said, 'we have a saying in Spanish, when things look bleak, esperanzas mueren al ultimo. Hope dies last.'" - Studs Terkel The features in this programme are: Dear John Featuring Pam and John Redman Produced by Andrea Rangecroft Bird in the Breath and Other Hopeful Cargo Produced by Stephanie Rowden and Jennifer Metsker Send Me Your Location Featuring Dr Ahmad Terkawi Produced by Andrea Rangecroft Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

Josie Long presents short documentaries on things drawing to a close - from stories captured, bottled and buried over time, to reflections at the end of a life well-lived. The Kajakman Produced by Rikke Houd Too Many Miles Originally produced for the Third Coast International Audio Festival http://thirdcoastfestival.org/explore/feature/too-many-miles Produced by Stephanie Rowden and Jennifer Metsker Harold Featuring Harold Stevenson Produced by Sarah Geis Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

Josie Long hears stories of dreamers - from the search for utopia to striving to transform into the writer Barbara Cartland. Becoming Barbara Produced by Natalie Kestecher Utopia Featuring Michaela Vieser Produced by Tim Hinman and Michaela Vieser Dear Face at Deer Lake with Deer People Originally made for Third Coast International Audio Festival http://thirdcoastfestival.org/explore/feature/dear-face-at-deer-lake-with-deer-people Produced by Dear Deer Face Collective Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

Finding your voice, life or death conversations and seeking anonymity - Josie Long explores the power of the human voice. From losing yourself in a crowd of others to the medium who finds herself conversing with a murderer. Cards on the Table Produced by Andrea Rangecroft Frantumaglia Produced by Phil Smith Power and Freedom http://sarahboothroyd.com/home.html Produced by Sarah Boothroyd Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4. Short documentaries and adventures in sound presented by Josie Long.

Josie Long explores uncertain territory - from a micronation to the porous borders between dreams and reality. We hear from Prince Michael of Sealand, the head of state in an unrecognised micronation that sits in the North Sea, and the doctor who's documenting the dreams of the dying. Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

Josie Long hears stories of what can be found as we lose ourselves - from disappearing into anonymous environments to confronting existential threats. Found Featuring Penny Rimbaud Lost Featuring Laura Barton Produced by Ibby Caputo Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4. First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2019.

An invitation to wander out into the darkness, an actor who discovers she's been killed off in real life and a late night wander into the Icelandic night. Josie Long hears tales of the witching hour as she ventures out for a midnight walk in the woods. Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

Falling in love, losing yourself and vicious sibling rivalries - Josie Long presents tales of wild youth. We hear the writer Joe Dunthorne and his sister Leah try to unpick old family scars and a story of attempted teen rebellion from Mae Martin. Rivals Featuring Joe and Leah Dunthorne Wild Youth Featuring Mae Martin Julius and Moses Featuring Julius Matovu and Moses Walumsimbi Produced by Andrea Rangecroft Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4. First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2016.

Josie Long hears short documentaries and true stories from people who have fallen in the deep end. From the man who sets out to scam the con artists trying to exploit him, to the hypnotist who finds himself face to face with Uday Hussein, we hear true tales of falling down the rabbit hole into unsettling situations - including the moment when the poet Ross Sutherland accidentally crossed the boundary between fiction and reality and found himself being dragged into a wrestling match. Wrestling With Fiction Featuring Heresy and Ross Sutherland Scamming the Scammers Featuring Don Mullan Produced by Claire Crofton Larry and Uday Featuring Larry Garrett Produced by Sarah Geis Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

The lessons about love and life that we can learn from a fig, a walk in the woods and a connection to a lost love found in the water. Josie Long ventures outdoors, hearing stories of how human hearts become tangled in the forests, lakes and skylines of the natural world. Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

Fights for territory, standing your ground and petty feuds - Josie Long hears stories of rivalry. From a bitter battle conducted in a laundrette to an ongoing argument between academics on either side of the world. Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

A mysterious character offering to illuminate a course of action, an activist thrust into a glaring spotlight and the dull glow of car tail lights- Josie Long looks for illuminations in the darkness. Featuring the actress and activist Sacheen Littlefeather walking onstage to collect Marlon Brando's Oscar, a singing medium and Laura Barton on driving at night. Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

From the man who'll help you disappear to coping with a sudden, shocking loss - Josie Long looks at vanishing points. We hear stories of private investigators, the search for solitude in the dust bowl and a woman's life changing in one devastating second. Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree Production for BBC Radio 4 First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2016.

An innocent encounter tips from flirtation to danger, the professional stranger you never want to see on your door step and a partner whose revelation turns him in an instant into a stranger. Josie Long delves into stories of brushes with the unknown - flirtations, deceptions and the kindness of strangers. Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree Production for BBC Radio 4