Desert Island Discs: Archive 2011-2015 - Kwame Kwei-Armah

Kirsty Young's castaway is the actor, director and playwright, Kwame Kwei-Armah.

His creative output spans both high art and popular culture. He became a household name starring in BBC One's Casualty, but at the same time he was pursuing a career in writing and his award-winning plays have been staged at the National Theatre. He's just finished a stint as the artistic director of The World Festival of Black Arts in Senegal and his next posting is to the US, where he's taking over a theatre in Baltimore. Throughout his life, he says, he continues to be inspired by the joyful atmosphere he grew up in. "My home was so warm, so full of life and noise. Most of my theatre I call the theatre of my front room. My memory was just this citadel to love and joy."

Record: Fight the Power
Book: The complete works of August Wilson
Luxury: A basic word processor

Producer: Leanne Buckle.

Published on Sunday, 15th May 2011.

Available Podcasts from Desert Island Discs: Archive 2011-2015

Subscribe to Desert Island Discs: Archive 2011-2015

We are not the BBC, we only list available podcasts. To find out more about the programme including episodes available on BBC iPlayer, go to the Desert Island Discs: Archive 2011-2015 webpage.