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Desert Island Discs

Liz Carr, actor and activist

Desert Island Discs

BBC

Society & Culture, Music Commentary, Music, Personal Journals

4.413.7K Ratings

🗓️ 19 April 2023

⏱️ 38 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Liz Carr is most widely known for her role as the forensic examiner Clarissa Mullery in the long-running BBC TV drama Silent Witness. She appeared in more than 70 episodes, from 2013 until 2020. Last year she won the Olivier award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the National Theatre production of The Normal Heart. Her role was inspired by Dr Linda Laubenstein, a pioneer in the treatment of AIDS and a wheelchair user: Liz was the first wheelchair user to play the part, almost four decades after the premiere. Liz was brought up in Bebington, Merseyside. One of her early stage roles was as the Cowardly Lion in a primary school production of The Wizard of Oz. She became a wheelchair user at the age of 11, after a protracted illness. She studied Law at Nottingham University and after graduation worked as a disability rights adviser. She also became a disability rights activist, and more recently has been a campaigner against the legalisation of assisted dying. When she was 30, Liz decided on a career change after taking part in a drama course with the Graeae Theatre Company. She became a stand-up comedian and a member of various comedy groups, and moved on to theatre and television work, including recent roles in the TV dramas The Witcher and Good Omens. Liz lives in London with her wife. DISC ONE: Over the Rainbow - Judy Garland DISC TWO: Beautiful Dreamer - Sheryl Crow DISC THREE: Sit Down - James DISC FOUR: Rollin’ Thunder - Ian Stanton DISC FIVE: 9 to 5 - Dolly Parton DISC SIX: Something Good - Julie Andrews DISC SEVEN: Palliative Clare (from Assisted Suicide The Musical) - Claire Willoughby DISC EIGHT: I Feel Love - Donna Summer BOOK CHOICE: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry LUXURY ITEM: A pair of ruby slippers CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Sit Down – James Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Sarah Taylor

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hello, and welcome to Woman's Hour.

0:04.0

I never would have dreamed of going out and playing in front of thousands of people all

0:07.8

around, you know, center court.

0:09.4

The daily podcast featuring women's voices.

0:12.1

It seems that I'm a threat and they scared all women like me who can say no to this barbaric

0:17.6

regime talking about women's lives.

0:20.1

You're doing what every other girl is doing, just going out at night, having fun and they

0:25.2

again, villainized us for it.

0:26.9

Woman's Hour.

0:27.9

First, on BBC Sounds.

0:29.9

BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts

0:34.9

Hello, I'm Lauren LeVern and this is the Desert Island Disks Podcast.

0:39.0

Every week I ask my guests to choose the eight tracks, book and luxury they'd want to take

0:43.5

with them if they were cast away to a desert island.

0:46.9

And for right reasons, the music is shorter than the original broadcast.

0:51.1

I hope you enjoy listening.

0:57.9

My cast away this week is the actor and activist, Liz Carr.

1:16.8

Her breakthrough role was in the BBC forensic drama Silent Witness, which made her a regular

1:21.9

presence in millions of living rooms for almost a decade.

1:25.8

That was followed by big budget fantasy epic The Witcher and her own musical.

1:30.7

Last year, she won an Olivier Award for her part in the National Theatre production

1:35.0

of The Normal Heart.

...

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