#33 A Bench in West London (performed by Thea Collings)

Tania’s twin sister Lydia has bought a memorial bench for their mum in the family’s local park. There’s just one problem: their mum is still very much alive (Lydia was unaware that memorial benches are exclusively for the dead). Cue a series of tributes from people who want to pay their respects, including a man whose connection to Tania and Lydia’s mum threatens to completely undermine who they thought she was.

 

Something to consider when reading/listening: 

 

How fragile is our understanding of ourselves and those close to us? Are we only ever one discovery away from reconsidering everything?

 

Dramatic Monologue - Comedy - Family  

 

A Bench in West London is an original short story by Doe Wilmann 

 

If you’d like to read the script of this episode go to https://www.fairobserver.com/author/doe-wilmann/ 

 

For information about upcoming stories and live performances of my stage plays, go to meaninglessproblems.com and sign up to my monthly newsletter. You can also email me via the contact form. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the podcast. 

 

You might enjoy this episode if you like:

 

Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads 

Dramatic Monologues 

Comedic Monologues 

Fiction that makes you think 

Philosophical fiction 

Parks

Benches

Episode #5 of this podcast (’Silly Old Trick’) 

Episode #10 of this podcast (‘Plonker’)

Episode #30 of this podcast (‘Cheek Biter’) 

Contemplating the meaning of life 

Any form of philosophical enquiry 

 

Let me know your thoughts on this episode or the podcast as a whole at doewilmann@outlook.com 

 

This episode is part of my challenge to write, record and produce a short story every single week for a year. If you’re looking for quality, suspense and intrigue, I’m not making any promises. But if you do like one of these stories please share it with your friends. 

 

If I complete this challenge and the podcast gets 1,000 subscribers in the process, a group of my friends have agreed to donate a combined £1000 to Alzheimer’s Research UK. 

 

For writing tips and advice, follow me on TikTok (@meaninglessproblems)

 

I also have an Instagram (@meaninglessproblems) account dedicated to the podcast. 

 

Website:

 

Meaninglessproblems.com 

 

Thanks for listening 

 

Credits:

 

Written and performed by Doe Wilmann

 

Thanks to Katie Empett and Ross Hindle for reading early versions of this episode and providing notes. 

 

Artwork by Katie Empett

 

Music by Claude Debussy with permission from Pond5. 

 

A license to use the media (Debussy Suite Bergamasque, Clair De Lune (Piano Cover) 229744340 Music ahawke99110 2023-03-02 Individual) was purchased under Pond5's Content License Agreement, a copy of which is available for review at https://www.pond5.com/legal/license. The Pond5 license authorizes the licensee to use the media in the licensee's own commercial or non-commercial production and to copy, broadcast, distribute, display, perform and monetize the production or work in any medium - including posting and monetization on YouTube - on the terms and conditions outlined therein. 

 

Meaningless Problems with Doe Wilmann

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