Playwright and artistic director of London's Young Vic theatre Kwame Kwei-Armah shares some of the influences that have had a significant impact on his work. Kwei-Armah pursued careers in music and acting, playing paramedic Finlay Newton in BBC One's Casualty, before finding success at a writer. His award-winning plays include Elmina's Kitchen and Statement of Regret, both staged at the National Theatre. He tells John Wilson about his early years at stage school, how seeing a production of Joe Turner's Come and Gone, by August Wilson, changed the way he saw what theatre could do, and how Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave set him on a different path.