Short Cuts

By BBC Radio 4Society & Culture Documentary

Short Cuts episodes

January 03, 2023 The River
Josie Long presents short documentaries and audio adventures on the flow of water. A stream of voices from around the world speak of the myths and legends born from water. The author Damian Le Bas follows the ripples left by a tragedy on the River Medway in the 1850s. And at the confluence of two rivers, the writer Laura Barton looks to the poet Raymond Carver for guidance on her last decade.
Other Water
Written and read by Laura Barton
In Fresh Water
Featuring Ed Granston, Stephen Mallett and Damian Le Bas
Produced by Damian Le Bas and Andrea Rangecroft
A River of Voices
Featuring Devi Lockwood, Jo Darrington, Zella Downing, Iain Wilson, Mark Binder, Ole Øvretveit, Lupita Pocket, Leszek Daworski, Ateli Nasoru, Steve Maina, Ryan Burns and 3 anonymous women in Mississippi.
Produced by Samia Bouzid and Devi Lockwood
Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Produced by Andrea Rangecroft
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
31 min
December 27, 2022 Time Stops
As time appears to fall still between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve, Josie Long presents short documentaries and audio adventures that play with our temporal senses.
Blight
Created by Jocelyn Pook and John Smith
Originally created for the series Sound on Film in 1996
Released on Purge Records
Raven
Produced by Vaida Pilibaitytė
Time Stops
Produced by Jules Bradley
Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
30 min
December 20, 2022 Season's Greetings
Josie Long presents short Yuletide documentaries and festive audio adventures.
Two women discover their families are tied by the true story behind the classic film It’s A Wonderful Life, and a Ukrainian singing group in Canada remembers loved ones through Christmas songs as war continues in their homeland.
Also, a profile on Father Christmas and a nativity criticism session with its young cast.
Profile on Father Christmas
Featuring Raymond Briggs and Janet Cohen
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 1981
Seneca Falls
Featuring Elizabeth Kress and Kathy Williamson
Produced by Andrea Rangecroft
Nativity Criticism
Featuring Harold Williamson and children from two schools in Sunderland
Produced by Michael Barton
From an episode of Children Talking called The Spirit of Christmas. First broadcast on Boxing Day 1963.
Can We Come Carol?
Featuring Natalia Telentso
The singers are Eli Camilo, Natalia, Carlos, Olga, Vera, Olessia, Briga, Anna and Mira from the Montreal Koliada group that was co-founded by Natalia and Eli.
Produced by Mira Burt-Wintonick
Produced by Andrea Rangecroft
Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
31 min
December 13, 2022 Expression
The secret language between partners, the melody of the voice, laughter from your belly and permission to scream - Josie long presents short visceral documentaries about how we express ourselves.
Belly Laugh
Featuring the voices of Jane Watson, Jean Mcglashen and Sue Relf with her husband Willy, and the laughter yoga session run by Brighton Laughter Club.
Produced by Jodie Taylor
AAAAH!
Produced by Jesse Lawson
Anatomy of a Voice
Produced by Ellie Lightfoot and Spencer Fox
Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
29 min
December 06, 2022 Small Victories
A sibling faces an unfair accusation of teen pop vandalism, an academic conducts a study into missing forks and three friends search for the right note. Josie Long presents short documentaries about small and petty victories.
For Fork's Sake
Produced by Mike Williams
Good Company
Produced by Jesse Lawson
The Gouging
Produced by Steven Jackson
Original music by Steven Jackson and Cue Shop, a music library and scoring co-op
Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
29 min
November 29, 2022 Intimacies
A writer discovers his digital double, the story behind a name and an erotic invitation - short documentaries about the intimate relationships between us. Presented by Josie Long.
The Double
Written and read by Joe Dunthorne
A version of this story first appeared in the London Review of Books
Intimacy
Produced by Kristina Loring
A Name That Sounds Pretty
Produced by Erisa Apantaku
Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
30 min
November 22, 2022 Autobiography
A vision of the city after dark through the eyes of a graffiti writer, a poem addressed to a piece of legislation and a glimpse of what it means to sell the pain in your life as art.
Short autobiographical docs, adventures in sound and new forms where producers turn the microphone on themselves. Presented by Josie Long.
Dear Section 28
Produced by Tash Walker
A406
Catharsis
Produced by Scottee
Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
31 min
October 04, 2022 Symbols and Signs
Recurring dreams, tarot cards and a message from the universe - Josie Long presents short documentaries about symbols and signs.
Look Cool Be Gay
Produced by Jesse Lawson and Sylwia Osiecka
Call Me
Produced by Emily Finch
The Magician
Produced by Axel Kacoutié
Curated by Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
30 min
September 27, 2022 Competition
A bike race in memory of a Hastings fisherman, the football match that will never happen again, and the highs and lows of a dance competition through the eyes of a child. Josie Long presents short documentaries and audio adventures on the journey to first place.
The Cha-cha Champion
Featuring Emily, Marlene and Tomasz
Produced by Sam Stone
When Goss was God
Written and read by Juliet Jacques
The Ascent
Featuring Gary Reid and Paul Joy
Produced by Jodie Taylor and Will Davies
Producer: Andrea Rangecroft
Curated by Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
31 min
September 20, 2022 Memento Mori
A charged summer, a garden blooms again, a silent room and the rumbling of lava - Josie Long presents short documentaries and adventures in sound which explore our mortality.
A New Tense
Author: Brit Jensen
Sound: Martin Ožvold
Music: Kaj T. Jensen, Bjørg Siedelman Christensen and Fagradsfjall
Bower
Produced by Phil Smith
Dragonfly
Featuring Rebecca Finkel
Produced by Alexandra Salmon
Curated by Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
30 min