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The Family Tree

When podcast producer Dave Pickering is approached by his dad with a mystery from the life of a long-forgotten friend, he decides to investigate it in the only way he knows how: by having conversations. Mark Sullivan, who went missing 15 years ago, has been found dead. His body still has the arm he should have lost in a car accident and seems to have died eight years before he disappeared. In a series of 12 episodes, Dave tries to uncover this mystery through conversations with Mark’s family and friends. As he gets to know them, his questions lead to more questions… the mystery runs deeper than anyone imagined. The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.
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Feb 8, 2018

Dear Listeners,

David tells me that you like me writing to you, so it has come to feel very right that I accompany these recordings with a short note. I’m afraid I don’t know much about podcasting, so I’ve been leaving all the music to David, who has much more experience and has made the last two sound jolly good. Melanie and I should probably work on introducing ourselves properly; I’m afraid we just jump straight in again. However, I think regular listeners to The Family Tree might be very happy to hear the recording this time – Melanie is really beginning to remember a few things now, and is increasingly comfortable with trying to talk about it.

Thank you for listening. I hope you enjoy Episode 3 of ‘Conversations’.

Yours Faithfully,

Reverend Phillip Beech

P.S. We did think about calling the episode ‘Roger and Olaf’, but I think it’s best to keep it simple. Do write to David if you have any better suggestions for a name for us.

 

 

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The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity

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Feb 4, 2018

Dave talks to Reverend Beech and Kora at Jane’s house before a special party for Mia to say goodbye to the oak tree: they’re going to plant a sapling grown from one of its acorns.

The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity.

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Jan 13, 2018

In this episode, Dave talks to Shajahan, a friend of a friend, who is considering the hypothesis that her late mother was a changeling. If what her mother told her is true, Shajahan may still have her mother with her after all.

The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity.

 

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Dec 14, 2017

Dave and Reverend Beech have returned after their trip to St James’s Park. There’s a lot of processing to do as they drink cocoa and go over the events of a very long night.

The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity.

 

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Dec 11, 2017

Reverend Beech has a plan so drastic that Dave has decided to split this episode into two parts. In Part I, they discuss what they plan to do and why that will involve a drill, a sleeping bag and a freezer.

The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity.

 

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Nov 30, 2017

Ben is eager to come on the show to talk about his new organisation, ‘Change of Heart’, dedicated to researching and protecting changelings. Accompanied again by Kora, Dave begins to see tensions within their relationship. Meanwhile, the threat posed by information disappearing online looms ever-larger.

The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity.

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Nov 19, 2017

Many years ago, Mark recorded stories for Ben and Nathan to listen to on a car journey. The cassette has turned up in Jane’s loft. But perhaps there’s more to these stories than the family ever realised: from what Melanie has revealed about her pre-Mark history, it would seem that in one of them, Mark may have been subtly telling his family what had happened to him.

The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity.

 

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Oct 21, 2017

Melissa co-hosts her second episode with Dave, this time talking to her mum, Jane, about what she thinks and how she feels about the changelings and potential changelings in her family. Jane agreed to come on the show after a family argument; this episode is at times tense, but ultimately it contains more love than anger.

The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity.

 

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Oct 12, 2017

Dave finds himself back in the Sullivan family home, talking to twins Melissa and Melanie. This episode is co-hosted by Melissa, whose idea it was talk to her sister on mic about what it’s like to be a changeling.

The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity.

 

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Sep 12, 2017

With information going missing online, some of it now completely untraceable, Dave has decided to release episodes as they happen. As well as filling us in on the Sullivan family news, in this episode, he talks to Jocelyn, who has a remarkable story to tell. As it turns out, Melanie isn’t the only human changeling.

The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity.

 

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Dec 11, 2016

In the season finale, Dave catches up with the Sullivan family. He’s eager to know how they’re all coping with the new information in their lives.

The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.*

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* We recommend starting at the beginning of the series to enjoy the full experience of the mystery.

Dec 4, 2016

Dave talks to the twins’ cousin Sam about their views on the mystery and finds out how Melanie’s been coping in the month since his last recording.

The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.*

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* We recommend starting at the beginning of the series to enjoy the full experience of the mystery.

Nov 27, 2016

Until this episode, every conversation on this show has been arranged in advance. But this one begins with an unexpected ring on the doorbell: Melanie wants to tell her side of the story…

The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.*

iTunes RSS

* We recommend starting at the beginning of the series to enjoy the full experience of the mystery.

Nov 20, 2016

Still in shock from Jane’s revelation, Dave arranges a conversation with the twins. He’s never conducted an interview like this before, and he’s nervous about how it will turn out. But only one of the girls turns up…

The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.*

* We recommend starting at the beginning of the series to enjoy the full experience of the mystery.

Nov 13, 2016

Dave begins his second conversation with Jane planning to tell her about the oak tree and what he has learned about her late husband. He’s prepared for it to be a difficult conversation, but he’s not prepared for what she will reveal to him.

The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.*

iTunes RSS

* We recommend starting at the beginning of the series to enjoy the full experience of the mystery.

Nov 10, 2016

Dave talks to his mum, June Hoy, about her experiences running an adventure playground in the seventies and about how she remembers Mark Sullivan. He also asks both his parents The Big Questions.

The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism and the arts. They are also a space to platform listener information. If you know anything about what happened to Mark, you can call 0203 290 0592. Please be aware that your message may be played on the show.

Find our Guests!

June Hoy: Quiet Canvas

Peter Pickering

Nov 6, 2016

This week, we take a breath to process last week’s revelations and try to get to know Mark. This conversation continues on from the one in Episode 1, in which Dave talks to his dad and Tony, and they read through Mark’s letters and talk about his relationship with Peter.

The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.*

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*Last week, Dave finally got some answers, and this episode contains spoilers. We recommend starting at the beginning of the series to enjoy the full experience of the show.

Oct 30, 2016

Before their scheduled meeting, Reverend Beech leaves a message for Dave asking him to meet him at St James’ Park. There are “one or two things it might be useful for you to see,” he says. In this episode, Dave finally gets some answers.*

*If you’re new to The Family Tree, we suggest going back to Episode 1 before you listen to this. From here on, there’ll be spoilers you can’t unknow!

The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.

Oct 23, 2016

After his previous two conversations, Dave’s pleased to find that Mark’s second son, Nathan, is much more willing to talk about his father’s disappearance than his other children. Back in the Sullivan family home, Dave discovers that Nathan has some interesting theories about what might have happened to Mark.

The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.

Oct 16, 2016

Dave thought it was awkward speaking to Ben, but it turns out that was nothing compared with speaking to Mark’s teenage daughters, Melissa and Melanie. Nervously sitting down with the twins in the family home, Dave didn't expect it to be easy, but he was surprised to find they were less happy about giving an interview than he'd been led to believe.

The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.

Oct 9, 2016

Dave talks to Mark’s eldest son, Ben, and his partner, Kora. With their daughter Mia playing in the room next door, the couple host Dave in their busy kitchen. He said he was happy to talk, but Ben is more defensive than Dave – or Kora – anticipated.

The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.

Oct 2, 2016

Having spoken to Reverend Beech, Dave contacts Mark Sullivan’s family. His widow, Jane, agrees to come on the show to discuss their relationship and her feelings about the mystery. Dave talks to her in the family home surrounded by pictures of her family.

The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.

 

 

Sep 25, 2016

A body discovered years after its death with more arms than it should have had: this is the story Peter and Tony come back from a funeral with. In Episode 1, they introduce Dave to the mystery and suggest he talks to the vicar who officiated the funeral. Reverend Philip Beech is happy to oblige, and Dave talks to him about Mark Sullivan and his family and begins to explore the mystery surrounding Mark’s death. So begins a journey that will change Dave’s understanding of reality forever.

The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.

Sep 11, 2016

The Family Tree, a new audio drama from Adamthwaite and Pickering, launches on Monday 26 th September 2016. The show will air for 12 weeks, releasing an episode of the drama every Monday and an accompanying commentary episode each Friday.

The show is a spin-off from in-conversation podcast, Getting Better Acquainted, featured on BBC Radio 4’s In Pod We Trust and BBC Radio 5 Live’s Required Listening. Focussed on openness, honesty and truth, the same conversational style is used to explore the story in The Family Tree.

The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.

The 12 supplementary episodes or ‘Cuttings’ feature a range of guests from podcasting, journalism and the arts, discussing the issues raised in the show, including themes such as representation, lived experience, identity and social responsibility.

This teaser showcases some of the conversations around representation as Dave talks to Nikesh Shukla, Samantha Asamadu from Media Diversified, Jackie Hagan, CN Lester and Sez Thomasin.

Sep 4, 2016

The Family Tree, a new audio drama from Adamthwaite and Pickering, launches on Monday 26 th September 2016. The show will air for 12 weeks, releasing an episode of the drama every Monday and an accompanying commentary episode each Friday. Listeners can subscribe on itunes or via the website, www.thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk. The show is a spin-off from in-conversation podcast, Getting Better Acquainted, featured on BBC Radio 4’s In Pod We Trust and BBC Radio 5 Live’s Required Listening. Focussed on openness, honesty and truth, the same conversational style is used to explore the story in The Family Tree.

When host Dave Pickering is approached by his dad with a mystery from the life of a long-forgotten friend, he decides to investigate it in the only way he knows how: by having conversations.

Mark Sullivan, who went missing 15 years ago, has been found dead. His body still has the arm he should have lost in a car accident and seems to have died eight years before he disappeared.

In a series of 12 episodes, Dave tries to uncover this mystery through conversations with Mark’s family and friends. As he gets to know them, his questions lead to more questions… the mystery runs deeper than anyone imagined.

The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.

The 12 supplementary episodes or ‘Cuttings’ feature a range of guests from podcasting, journalism and the arts, discussing the issues raised in the show, including themes such as representation, lived experience, identity and social responsibility. Guests include The Allusionist’s Helen Zaltzman, Nikesh Shukla, Samantha Asamadu, Kevin Allison of RISK!, CN Lester, Alix Fox, Girl on the Net, Musa Okwonga and The X-Files’ Dean Haglund.

Visit www.thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk for more information and to hear trailers for the show.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The Family Tree has a cast of highly-skilled performers with backgrounds in comedy, spoken word and theatre, and includes Joz Norris, Vera Chok and Charles Adrian. In addition to this, Dave Pickering, Tony Pickering and Peter Pickering play themselves, and sketches of the characters by Tony Pickering are available for purchase. Further blurring the boundaries between reality and fiction, the show will encourage listeners to phone in with their theories about the mystery. Some of these will be included in the weekly ‘Cuttings’ episodes.

The Family Tree is running a Patreon campaign, aiming to raise funds to produce a second season of the show.

We can provide a show logo, cast photographs, character sketches and trailers in advance of the release date. All of these materials are also available on our website.

Contact

thefamilytreepodcast@gmail.com

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