Ben Yeoh Chats Podcast
1) Simon Kane: Disneyland, Punchdrunk, Shunt; What “Immersive” Really Means
Is walking around a fake bathroom really “immersive” theatre, or is a theme park the more honest art form?Ben sits down with Simon Kane, writer and performer whose work spans Shunt’s devised theatre, ...Show More
2) Deena Mousa: How Much Is A Life Worth? Effective Philanthropy, AI For Good & Global Health
How do you put a price tag on a human life?It sounds like a cold question, but for grant makers, it is the necessary calculus of doing good. In this episode, Ben sits down with Deena Mousa (Open Phila...Show More
3) Hannah Ritchie On Climate Honesty, Hope, And The Future. Discussing her book Clearing The Air.
Hannah Ritchie — one of the most lucid and data-driven voices in climate and sustainability — returns to talk about her new book Clearing the Air: 50 Questions and Answers about Climate.Ben and Hannah...Show More
4) Robert Beckley: Lessons from 40 Years in Policing, Hillsborough & Civic Service
Retired police officer Robert Beckley reflects on 40 years of service — from Brixton to Hillsborough and beyond. We discuss crisis response, institutional change, community policing, and why public se...Show More
Robert Beckley: Lessons from 40 Years in Policing, Hillsborough & Civic Service
1:05:30 | Sep 14th, 2025
5) Do We Still Build Beautiful? Samuel Hughes on Architecture & Cities
Samuel Hughes, editor at Works in Progress, joins me to talk architecture, planning, and how we think about beauty in our cities.“Most buildings in Tokyo are ugly, but the streets are beautiful—urban ...Show More
6) Tim Mak: War Reporting in Ukraine
Tim Mak moved to Ukraine in 2022, a day before war broke out. Tim, a former US investigative correspondent, decided to stay and start up his own reporting at Counter Offensive. He now reports from Kyi...Show More
7) Françoise Girard: Feminism, Activism, and the Power of Storytelling
Françoise Girard is an activist and founder of Feminism Makes Us Smarter. We discuss Francois' journey from studying law in Montreal to becoming a feminist activist in New York. Francois shares experi...Show More
8) Sumit Paul-Choudhury: Optimism, Navigating Life's Challenges And Uncertainties
Sumit discusses how his wife dying reshaped his views on optimism, differentiating between pragmatic optimism and blind faith. He explores how having an optimistic outlook, although seemingly against...Show More
Sumit Paul-Choudhury: Optimism, Navigating Life's Challenges And Uncertainties
49:26 | May 30th, 2025
9) Samir Varma: Free Will, Physics, Traffic, Bees, Emotions, Chaos Theory, Cricket, Finance
Samir Varma is a physicist, investor, and author of the book: The Science of Free Will, How Determinism Affects Everything from the Future of AI to Traffic to God to Bees.' We discuss AI consciousness...Show More
Samir Varma: Free Will, Physics, Traffic, Bees, Emotions, Chaos Theory, Cricket, Finance
1:26:14 | Apr 11th, 2025
10) Mary-Ann Ochota: Adventure, Resilience, Unveiling Hidden Histories, Archeology And The Ancient World
Mary-Ann Ochota is a broadcaster, anthropologist, and writer known for her work on Time Team and books on archaeology and the British landscape. “Archaeology is ultimately about people – the stories o...Show More