Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the writer Ronald Harwood. At the age of 17 Ronald Harwood left his home in South Africa and set sail for England, determined to become an actor. When that failed he turned his hand successfully to writing. Some plays, like The Dresser, draw on his theatrical experiences, others, like Articles of Faith deal with the political dilemmas. He leaves behind his thought-provoking work to join Sue Lawley on the mythical island.

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

Favourite track: Emperor Concerto No 5 in E Flat, Opus 73 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Book: Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh
Luxury: My bathroom