Before the show, I managed to chat with producer Annie Brown about the process of making the live show and what they wanted to achieve. “Listeners had such strong feelings about the evidence it was hard to just leave it as it was.” She shared that the overwhelmingly positive reception to the podcast made it obvious they had to involve the audience and give them the chance to play the jury in real time. “It’s just fun to be able to interact and engage with the people that gave the show such life.”

The show was split into three acts:

• Act 1 – A podcast recap with host Elizabeth Day with enough context and details for audience members that might not have listened to the whole podcast. Bonus behind the scenes audio outtakes and pictures of Tristan and Annie’s process kept it freshtoo.
• Act 2 – Feyther on trial. A stern telling off from detectives Jackie Malton and Hamish Campbell to focus on the evidence; a live reenactment of a suspicious phone call from the police file; an animated floor plan of the sequence of events from the night of the murder; and audience voting using a virtual polling app.
• Act 3 – A live Q&A for audience members to ask their questions to Tristan, Annie and Kate Dancy directly.

So what worked? Firstly, Elizabeth Day was the best person to host this show. When I asked Annie why they chose Elizabeth, she said “She’s an amazing stand-in for an enthusiastic audience member. She’s such a deep listener, a deep thinker and pokes and prods at the story as our audience members have been.” That’s exactly what she did on stage, guiding the evening and reminding us of all details we’d overlooked.

The visual elements were helpful too. I have to admit that at times, listening to the podcast was confusing because of the multiple versions of events and the sheer number of important details. The animations of the house and the chain of events were the perfect illustration – even if it did feel a bit like VAR with the audience playing the referee.

I wasn’t a fan of the live voting. Although I understand the intention, I think phones and theatres aren’t compatible. The light, the risk of technical error (of which there was only one, thankfully), and people checking their notifications instantly sucks you out of the world that’s been carefully built around you.

Finally, the story. Ghost Story is so successful because there’s something for everyone: hauntings, murder mystery, true crime, family drama. But at the heart of it is a tragedy. Whether it was a murder-suicide or a double homicide, these deaths are personal to the Dancy family. Ghost Story is not unscathed from criticism of sensationalising a personal family trauma, most vocally by one member of the Dancy family, Tash Cutts. Her open letter condemning the show was handed out outside the theatre. This criticism fits into a wider conversation in the podcast industry about the ethics of seeking out, dramatising and profiting from vulnerable individuals and their stories.

True crime makes great content because you have the thrill of someone’s messy and exciting reality while watching from a distance. But at what cost?

Ghost Story Live was made for the fans who loved the story, loved the characters and those who wanted to dive into the details together. The newly shared pictures and testimonials, particularly of Naomi Dancy, were a wonderful addition to an already vivid podcast, and served as a reminder of the central themes of legacy and reckoning with reality. Even after seven episodes, a bonus episode and a live show, I was still debating who could have committed the crimes! So, as we drop the final curtain on season 1, the ghosts of Feyther, Naomi and Maurice certainly live on…and I’m confident the legacy of Ghost Story will remain with us for a long time.

Listen to Ghost Story on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other popular podcast apps >>

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Katie Stokes is a freelance writer, editor and podcast producer. Her work explores mental health, social relationships and identity. She is the host of Re:Mind the Podcast, unpacking how small behaviours have a big impact on our mental health. She is also an educator, creating audio and video resources for migrants looking to learn English.

The post REVIEW // Ghost Story – Live appeared first on POD BIBLE.

For those of you who missed Root of Evil, this 2019 hit saw hosts and sisters Rasha Pecoraro and Yvette Gentile unravel their own family secrets. They set about exploring their grandfather Dr George Hodel’s involvement in the 1947 Elizabeth Short case, The Black Dahlia Murder. And now Pecoraro and Gentile are back with Facing Evil, delving into a different case each week with a touching affinity to families also hit by tragedy.

This podcast starts as an ode to Hawaii, where the hosts are from. And this is where the first case takes place. Lisa Au left her boyfriend’s sister’s house in Honolulu one night in 1982, and no spoilers, but it did not end well for her.

Pecoraro and Gentile go through the various suspects (it’s always the boyfriend, right?) and discuss the chilling possibility that it was someone posing as a police officer who pulled her over to the side of the road that night.

Episode 2 covers the 1998 murder of 21-year-old gay student Matthew Shepard. He was approached by two men at a bar and inexplicably left with them. He was found the next day tied to a fence, and died six days later as a result of his injuries.

Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson were caught and charged, and this case brought hate crimes to the forefront of the public’s mind. The suspects even used homophobic slurs during their testimonies to the police.

Pecoraro is gay. Gentile is clearly an ally. Pecoraro came out at 30 (she is now 43), and says she would have come out sooner if not for this murder, which took place while she was in high school. The direct impact of this murder on these sisters is tangible.

The first two cases addressed by Facing Evil led to changes in US legislation. In the Lisa Au case, police officers are no longer allowed to use blue lights on top of civilian-appearing cars, because it is too easy to impersonate. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was introduced and signed into law by President Barack Obama. It aims to protect people from hate crimes at any time, and not just while partaking in protected activities like voting or going to school. Byrd was also murdered in 1998 and dragged for three miles behind a pickup truck because he was black.

This podcast series carries a higher message of promoting a better understanding on gender, race and homosexuality. This may be a bit intense at times – there is none of the light relief you get from a true crime comedy podcast such as Wine & Crime or Murder Most Irish – but remember, they are coming from a country that has just overturned abortion rights, and they’re coming for the gays next. And while there are still people out there scared to come out, or preferring to be dead, keeping these topics in the public eye is super important. Pecoraro and Gentile embody this message with sympathetic treatment of victims and stories and without being too preachy.

Listen to Facing Evil on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

Diana Safieh hosts We Knew The Moon podcast, on all things empath, spiritual, witchy, unexplained, creepy and spooky. She is a co-founder of The Goddess Temple, Twickenham, which holds guided meditations and workshops, like Tea & Tarot. And Make Your Own Smudge Sticks. She hosts a monthly webinar series on the situation in Palestine/Israel for The Balfour Project charity.

The post REVIEW // Facing Evil with Rasha Pecoraro and Yvette Gentile appeared first on POD BIBLE.

New Shows

Sour Hall

Sour Hall is a new Audible Original podcast drama, inspired by a Naomi Booth short story. When George inherits her family farm it’s supposed to be a new start for her and her partner Ash. But a presence haunts the farm, one that feeds on fear. To survive, Ash and George must face past traumas and embrace the things that go bump in the night, or risk being destroyed by them.

What sets this podcast apart from other horror audio content is not only the series’ unique production process (it was recorded in 360 degrees on location in Yorkshire), but also the themes it explores through the genre, such as trauma, marginalisation, race, motherhood and femininity. This is best listened to with headphones to get the full effect of the on-site recording – just don’t listen in the dark! 

You can listen to Sour Hall now on Audible.

Made of Stronger Stuff

This new podcast from BBC Radio 4 asks what the human body has to teach us about the world around us. Over 12 episodes, psychologist Kimberley Wilson and Dr Xand van Tulleken assess how the world is changing through the most personal perspective of all – an anatomical examination of the human body. Each episode takes a specific body part and asks how we can understand it better, ourselves more, and use that knowledge to create positive change both personally and collectively. The first episode looks a our eyes (no pun intended!) and how there is a gap between what we see and what we perceive…

Made of Stronger Stuff was launched on 27th January and is available on BBC Sounds, Acast, Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Reverberate by The Guardian

Reverberate is the new music, politics and history crossover podcast by The Guardian. It uncovers the unique role music has played in driving social and political change around the world, including some of the world’s most significant and revolutionary moments. This is a one-off, six part series and each episode focuses on a specific turning point in a different city’s history. As well as interviews with experts, the immersive sound design uses a single track as a way to reveal the deeper social and political issues at a single point in time. The first episode tells the fascinating story of how an unknown musician in England became an overnight pop star in Hong Kong – and how his music became the emotional anthem of Hong Kong’s nascent pro-democracy movement.

Reverberate launched on 27th January. Listen now on Acast, Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Figureheads with Warwick Davis

Figureheads is a new the 5-part series where Warwick Davis talks to the brains behind some of the UK’s biggest cultural institutions. Each episode will explore the inner workings from leaders of world class sporting and entertainment organisations, exclusively sharing their big business experiences and lessons with takeaways for all business owners. Guests include Baroness Sue Campbell, who talks about creating a legacy with Barclays FA Women’s Super League, and Melvin Benn, the Managing Director of Live Nation’s Festival Republic, who talks about the unexpected challenges of live events.

Figureheads was released on 7th January and you can listen now on Acast, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

New Seasons

Off Menu – Seasons 5

Pod Bible can’t hide our love for Off Menu! The newest series got off to a great start with comedian and creator/star of the TV show Feel Good, Mae Martin! This episode includes tales of Ed trying to smuggle a ninja star into the kitchen and James reminiscing about shrimp. If you’re new to Off Menu and not sure where to dive in, be sure to read this Point Of Entry article by super-fan Twitter account @nocontxtoffmenu to get started.

Series 5 of Off Menu launched 27th January. You can listen to Off Menu on Acast, Spotify and all other podcast apps.

Life, Interrupted – Season 2

In Life, Interrupted, TV presenter Simon Thomas interviews well-known celebrities and notable individuals, about their toughest times in life in order to understand how crisis and desperation can lead to hope and inspiration. Episode 1 of the new season sees Philip Schofield talk about writing his new book, his father’s death and how his family dynamic changed after he publicly came out as gay last year.

Series 2 of Life, Interrupted launched on 11th January. New episodes of come out on Mondays and are available on Acast, Spotify,  or wherever you get your podcasts.

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If you’d like to tell us about a new podcast, you can email  info@podbiblemag.com with the show description, release date and artwork. We will share as many launches as we can!

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In Good Company with Otegha Uwagba

What’s its vibe? This is a great, and (to be honest) essential, podcast for all creative working women! Founder of Women Who – a London-based community for creative working women and author of Little Black Book, Otegha Uwagba creates a great vibe with all her guests. Her engaging interviews with smart, passionate and intelligent women has taught me so much and given me new perspective as a female freelancer. I love the final section, “Ask Otegha”, where she plays the role of “career agony aunt” providing practical advice for listeners, from guidance on managing payment to words of wisdom on self-promotion – an area even 6 years into freelance life I still have to work at. That’s what makes this such a great listen – regardless of your experience, this is definitely one to get your ears and mind hooked on! 

How’d you hear about it, Lou? Following Reni Eddo-Lodge, I saw her tweet about her appearance on the podcast and so I thought I’d check it out and haven’t looked back since! 

Recommended episode: Like many of the other recommendations, there are many, but I think the one I learned a lot from was with Reni Eddo-Lodge and the conversation on challenges and setting boundaries as a freelancer – how often have you been asked “can I just pick your brain?” and it being OK to say “well sure but there is a cost to that”. Seriously, if you’re a working woman regardless of the sector, get your ears tuned into this and then every other episode! 

In the Thick

What’s its vibe? This podcast is co-hosted by award-winning journalists Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela. As journalists of colour, Maria and Julio bring the news missing from the mainstream – hard hitting, much needed conversations on race, politics and identity that few people are having or want to have – and I absolutely love it! If you want to broaden your knowledge on social politics outside of your bubble, understand the realities of social movements and individuals working globally on critical issues from defying the patriarchy, domestic care, right up to the media’s reporting of the coronavirus, then this is the podcast for you!

How’d you hear about it, Lou? I follow journalist and feminist author Mona Eltahawy on Twitter; she is a fierce feminist whose work I have admired greatly for some time and it was actually her tweet about the episode she features on that got my ears hooked and immediately subscribed!   

Recommended episode: Well, it has to be “Enemy of the Patriarchy”, with journalist and feminist author Mona Eltahawy! Along with discussing her latest book, the trio talk about #MeToo, the power of feminist activism online, and the importance of pushback and all women’s voices being at the core of defying the patriarchy!

Louise Jenkins is a feminist based in the UK. She is a freelancer in women’s and girls’ rights whose work focuses on ending all forms of violence against women and girls, and the power and importance of feminist movements to bring about such change. When her ears aren’t glued to music or her heads in a book she can be found losing her ears and mind to an eclectic list of podcasts, primarily ones led by strong, passionate women.

The post THE ADVOCATE – In Good Company and In The Thick appeared first on POD BIBLE.