Miriam Margolyes

Kirsty Young's guest on Desert Island Discs this week is the actress Miriam Margolyes. Her rich career has seen her work with directors such as Martin Scorsese and Baz Luhrmann and she's won awards and acclaim for her film work, her theatre performances and her book readings. She made the leap from the Cambridge Footlights to become one of our most successful and popular character actresses. Yet, despite having one of the most sought after voices in the business, she says she hasn't had the career that she aspired to. She yearned to be taken more seriously and given meatier roles but, she jokes, Joan Plowright always stood in her way. On stage she seems to have the confidence and chutzpah of someone who is beyond embarrassment - but in reality, she says, for most of her life she has simply been a 'frightened little muffin'.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Choices

1.

Dylan Thomas

A Visit to Grandpa's

Others who chose this artist

2.

Sir Hubert Parry

Jerusalem

Choir: Liverpool Cathedral Choir with the Massed Choirs from Merseyside Orchestra: The Liverpool Cathedral Brass Ensemble

Others who chose this artist

3.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Der Hölle Rache (from The Magic Flute)

Soloist: Lucia Popp

Others who chose this artist

4.

Charles Dickens

Extract from Great Expectations

Artist: Janet Suzman & Oliver Milburn

5.

Richmal Crompton

Violet Elizabeth takes Control

Artist: Martin Jarvis

6.

Richard Tucker

Kol Nidrei

Others who chose this artist

7.

Noël Coward

Private Lives

Others who chose this artist

8.

Castaway's favourite

Franz Schubert

Piano Quintet in A major 'Trout' - 4th Movement

Soloist: Ian Brown Orchestra: The Nash Ensemble

Others who chose this artist

Book

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens

Others who chose this author

Luxury item

A flush toilet

Others who chose a similar luxury