Coming June 6th…

Coming June 6th…
The Mercy Chair
"John Banks is one of the UK's most prolific audiobook narrators, working for the likes of Big Finish, Audible, Random House and Games Workshop.

He is a true multi-voice, creating everything from monsters to marauding aliens.

He is also an accomplished stage and TV actor."

audible.co.uk 2018

Hello...

...I'm John Banks - welcome to my website.

The majority of my working life has been spent in the theatre with companies including
York Theatre Royal, Cheltenham Everyman, Sheffield Crucible, Bristol Old Vic, Manchester Royal Exchange and the National Theatre in London.

Television work includes Emmerdale, Coronation Street, and 'Allo, Allo!'. I have also worked on a number of radio drama and comedy productions with the BBC.

Since March 2009, I have enjoyed playing a huge variety of characters in more than 270* audio-drama stories with Big Finish Productions, together with The Black Library/Games Workshop, details of which can be found in the postings below.


There are also details listed here of the 214* audio books & stories I've recorded since March 2013,
including the unabridged New Revised Standard Version of The Bible, for companies including audible.co.uk, Hachette, Audible Studios, Podium Audio Publishing, HarperCollins, RNIB, W.F. Howes, Little Brown Group, Penguin Random House, Games Workshop, Orion, Fantom Films & Ladbroke Audio.

(*figures at April 2021)

I hope you find something of interest here and come back soon for further updates.


For all posts, reviews and audio samples, please scroll down...

The Runewar Saga: Book 2

The Runewar Saga: Book 2
The Crown of Fire & Fury

The Botanist

The Botanist
Washington Poe Series: Book 5

Skaven Deathmaster

The Babel Books

The Babel Books
The Fall of Babel - click image above for link to audible

Doctor Who: Back To Earth

Throne of Light: Dawn of Fire Book 4

Throne of Light: Dawn of Fire Book 4
Release Date: 13th November 2021

Soul Wars

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Tuesday 3 May 2011

May 2011

A quick 'hello' at the beginning of a very busy month ahead - must just mention taking part in REDfest 2011 


I'm currently rehearsing the role of Eugene Phelts - a sinister assassin for a mysterious 'government' department. The play is Frequently Asked Questions written by Louise Singleton and directed by Rachel Illingworth; all details available via the link above.

There's much more to mention as the month progresses and I'll add to this post as soon as I can.

a bientot!

9th May: After a short, sharp and very hot run at The Old Red Lion, FAQ ended on Saturday night.
Thanks to all who packed out the tiny theatre and endured oven like conditions inside. Once we'd come to terms with a tricky new script, I very much enjoyed the process of working under the expert guidance of director Rachel Illingworth and was equally delighted to perform the play with Alice Havillyn and David Cullinane, who both did a magnificent job and made the whole event great fun to do.




So, big thanks to our little company, Rachel, David & Alice and to everyone at  
REDfest 2011.


Playing Peter Jennings in Emmerdale  










For the rest of this week, I'll be working on and preparing for three new Sherlock Holmes audio dramas, which we start recording next week; The Empty House, The Tangled Skein and The Hound of The Baskervilles.

I really am excited about working on these stories, for a number of reasons; great scripts, great company, great directors and great characters to play - who could ask for more!

Further details to follow...

23rd May     ...another festive day with BF,  recording 
Sherlock Holmes: The Tangled Skein.


L-R in the photo are: Beth Chalmers, John Banks, Barnaby Edwards, Giles Watling 
and in the foreground, Richard Earl and Nick Briggs.

Released this month from Big Finish:

Kiss Of Death was recorded in December and, as ever, was great fun to do - how boring it must be to keep reading how 'fab' everything is on BF productions - but it's true!  

We recorded a number of stories in quite a short period of time (end of November to the end of December) and the intensity of the work, coupled with our struggles to deal with the extreme weather, engendered quite a 'band of brothers' spirit - and then we all came down with the 'company cold'!

Kiss Of Death is released this month and here's the fantastic cover artwork by Anthony Lamb.
Peter Davison (The Doctor),
Janet Fielding (Tegan Jovanka),  
Mark Strickson (Vislor Turlough),
 Sarah Sutton (Nyssa),  
Lucy Adams (Deela),
Michael Maloney (Rennol),  
Lizzie Roper (Hoss),
John Banks (Kanch/The Morass)


'The TARDIS travellers take a break on the beach world of Vektris. Hot sun, cold drinks and all the time in the worlds. What could possibly go wrong?

A kidnapping, a spaceship heist and a desperate chase to a distant galaxy later, Turlough finds himself in a strange winter palace… along with a face from his past. The Doctor, Tegan and Nyssa, meanwhile, fight to escape its frozen catacombs, guarded over by a vast and deadly alien Morass.

But what connects Turlough to the ancient treasure hidden somewhere in the palace? And how far will he go to acquire it?'


Also released this month:

Crime of The Century:

Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), 
 Beth Chalmers (Raine Creevy),  
Ricky Groves (Markus Creevy), 
 Derek Carlyle (Nikitin/Parvez),  
John Albasiny (Colonel Felnikov/Party Guest/Waiter), 
John Banks (Metatraxi/Walnuf/Gunman),  
Chris Porter (Sayf Udeen/Valentin)
 
The year is 1989. In London, safe cracker Raine Creevy breaks into a house – and finds more than the family jewels.

In the Middle East, the kingdom of Sayf Udeen is being terrorised by Soviet invaders and alien monsters.

And on the Scottish border, a highly guarded facility contains an advanced alien weapon.

These are all part of the Doctor's masterplan. But masterplans can go awry…



After a successful and enjoyable time at April's Act III Convention, Big Finish, in collaboration with tenthplanetevents, are to stage their first 'in house' convention - details in the June posting.


But first, a shot of Beth Chalmers and me signing CD covers at Act III.



Dalek Universe 2

Kragnos Broken Realms

Age of Sigmar Dominion

The Moggotkin of Nurgle

Kragnos Broken Realms

Dawn of Fire Book 1: Avenging Son

The Lore of Direchasm

Direchasm

A C'tan Shard Rises 3

Indomitus: Necrons 2

A Lord Among the Stars 1

Angels of Death Preview

Ultramarines

Psychic Awakening

Warcry: Death or Glory

Warhammer 40,000

Flight. Redefined.

Reviews & comments:

The Malazan Empire

Over the course of this 8 book series, the amazing John Banks has had to create and voice 648 distinct characters!

Neil Gardner - producer

The Door In The Wall & War of The Worlds

Not often I buy another version of an audiobook I own, but after hearing John Banks' narration of The Door in the Wall by Ladbroke Audio, I had to buy their version of The War of the Worlds. Banks has a great reading voice.

Andy Frankham-Allen - writer

The Books of Babel: Senlin Ascends, Arm of The Sphinx & The Hod King

Mr. Banks does superb work, and I recommend the audiobooks wholeheartedly!

Josiah Bancroft - writer

Mervyn Stone: The Axeman Cometh

John Banks is a voice genius...

Nev Fountain - writer

Mervyn Stone... played by the note-perfect John Banks.

Matt Hills - Reviews in Time and Space

Dr. Who: The Sleeping City

I also must draw attention to John Banks who is an exceptional voice artist and in this one story performs more characters that I can count. ... it is listening to episodes like this one that really do let his talents shine through.

Tony Jones - Red Rocket Rising

Highlander:

...playing several parts, was the brilliant Big Finish regular John Banks - it was as if there were about 40 different actors in the other booth.

James Moran - writer

I went for the best of the best and brought in voice artiste extraordinaire John Banks.

Paul Spragg - producer

Vienna:

...also features the mind - bogglingly versatile and reliable John Banks

Jonathan Morris - writer

Dead Funny:

The acting is first rate… wonderfully played by John Banks as Richard – his impersonation of Eric Morecambe is worth the admission money alone.

Beverly Greenberg: Bolton Evening News

Mr. Happiness:

This early and unfamiliar play by David Mamet is a character study of a 1930s radio counsellor, dispensing suave advice to his devoted listeners. John Banks brings out the wry comedy of this – comedy quite unappreciated by the character – with a clever range of gesture and vocal tone.

Jeremy Kingston: The Times


All My Sons:

This is a beautifully crafted piece ...and it affords a wonderful opportunity for John Readman* to do his All-American Boy act as Chris Keller. This most polished and well observed performance as the blighted son of a blighted father must rank as one of his finest accomplishments yet. ( * see Profile)

The Stage

The Ordeals of Sherlock Holmes

Kudos should also go to John Banks. Lestrade can be a thankless part, but Banks rose to the challenge, playing a pivotal role in this decades long arc.

Raissa Devereux - SciFiPulse

The Judgement of Sherlock Holmes

John Banks is multi-tasking, both as the superb Lestrade and also the villainous and no doubt moustache twirling Sebastian Moran. They sound completely different and I bow to his talent.

Sue Davies - SFcrowsnest


Further reviews and comments are included with specific postings throughout the site.

The War Doctor

The War Doctor
December 2015