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Prunella Scales

Sue Lawley's castaway is actress Prunella Scales.

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is one of the country's favourite actresses - Prunella Scales. She's most easily recognised as Sybil Fawlty, wife of John Cleese, the manic hotelkeeper in the television series Fawlty Towers, but it's a role which represents a very small part of all she's done. Since her debut in Bristol 40 years ago, she has never been out of work, and recently she's scaled new heights with her portrayal of the Queen in Alan Bennett's A Question of Attribution. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about the problems associated with playing such a well-known and much-loved figure, and also about the rest of her long and successful career.

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

Favourite track: Ruht Wohl Ihr Heiligen Gebeine by Johann Sebastian Bach
Book: Complete works in German by William Shakespeare and The Bible in Russian and a Russian dictionary
Luxury: A huge tapestry kit

Available now

40 minutes

Last on

Fri 5 Jun 1992 09:05
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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Music Played

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Johann Sebastian Bach

      St John Passion - Ruht wohl ihr heiligen Gebeine

      Orchestra: 16 Orchestra & Choir Conductor: Harry Christophers

      • Chandos.

  • Vincenzo Bellini

    Vien diletto e in ciel la luna (from I Puritani)

    Artist: Maria Callas Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Richard Bonynge

    • Bellini - I Puritani.
    • Decca.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Bassoon Concerto in B flat major

    Artist: George Zukerman Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Thomas Beecham

    • EMI.

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Symphony No. 3 in C minor

    Orchestra: Scottish National Orchestra Conductor: Neeme Jarvi

    • Symphonies No. 3 & 4.
    • Chandos.

  • Franz Schubert

    Trokne Blumen (from Die Schöne Müllerin)

    Soloist: Ian Partridge

    • Ian Partirdge Sings Schubert & Schumann.
    • EMI.

  • Yvonne Printemps & Pierre Fresnay

    Je Ne Suis Pas Ce Que L'On Pense

    • Les Triomphes d'Yvonne Printemps.
    • EMI.

  • Henry Purcell

    Belinda's Aria (from Dido and Aeneas)

    Artist: Isobel Baillie & The London Philharmonia

    • HMV.

  • William Shakespeare

    Hamlet

    Artist: John Gielgud

  • Book Choice

    • Complete works in German - William Shakespeare, ,

  • Luxury Choice

    • A huge tapestry kit

Credits

Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Prunella Scales

Broadcasts

  • Sun 31 May 1992 12:15
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Fri 5 Jun 1992 09:05
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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