Short Cuts

Latest Episodes:

Magical Realism May 30, 2017

Show notes

Josie Long presents documentaries where reality takes on a magical aspect - tales of snake-filled American towns, a visit to a shaman and of crashing back down to earth.

The Curve of the Earth Produced by Stephanie Rowden http://www.stephanierowden.com

The Shaman Produced by Rikke Houd

Snake Pit, Waurika Produced by Sarah Geis

Magical Realism Produced by Phil Smith

Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall

A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in May 2017.

The Test May 23, 2017

Show notes

Personality tests, tests of character and knowing how to cheat. Josie Long presents stories of people testing their mettle.

The writers Ross Sutherland and Joe Dunthorne examine the Sutherland-Dunthorne luck index to see why one's success seems to mean the other's failure. James Acaster embarks on a quest in search of connection and oversized novelty letters, and we hear the story of two men who knew how to deceive the people examining them.

The Wow Scenario Featuring James Acaster

Project Alpha Featuring Mike Edwards Produced by Claire Crofton

The Sutherland-Dunthorne Inverse Proportional Luck Index Featuring Joe Dunthorne and Ross Sutherland

Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall

A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in May 2017.

Postcards May 16, 2017

Show notes

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.

So It Goes Mar 28, 2017

Show notes

"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

AFalling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in March 2017.

Counterpoint Mar 21, 2017

Show notes

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 first broadcast in March 2017.

The Leap Mar 14, 2017

Show notes

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 first broadcast in March 2017.

Out of Time Mar 07, 2017

Show notes

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 first broadcast in March 2017..

The Pretenders Feb 28, 2017

Show notes

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 first broadcast in 2017. .

Hope Dies Last Feb 21, 2017

Show notes

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 Produced by Andrea Rangecroft

Bird in the Breath and Other Hopeful Cargo Produced by Stephanie Rowden and Jennifer Metsker

Send Me Your Location Produced by Andrea Rangecroft

Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall

A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in 2017.

The End of the Story Dec 05, 2016

Show notes

Josie Long presents stories 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 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, first broadcast in December 2016.

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