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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Sunday 2 October 2011

October 2011


And so, October.

There are a couple of CD releases this month which I've been involved with and which I'm looking forward to listening to, but first, I just want to mention last month's release of The Doomsday Quatrain. I've now had the chance to listen to it twice through and have really enjoyed the story and some great performances.

Invidious as it might be to single anyone out, particularly as each actor did such a fantastic job with their respective roles, I do think Derek Carlyle deserves a special mention. It's been my great good fortune to have worked with 'Del' on a number of BF stories and once on-stage in a short play at Theatre503. He's one of those actors who, without any fuss at all, always delivers an interesting and totally believable performance. His role as Kren is played with such finesse that the authenticity and credibility he brings to it almost goes unnoticed - as, perhaps paradoxically, ought to be the case with all great performances. In my opinion, as soon as an audience becomes aware of the mechanics of the acting, the spell is broken and one is then simply left to admire 'technique'.

Added to that, Del is one of the nicest people you could ever wish to meet and as a company, we had great fun working on this story. Everyone involved was just such a pleasure and a 'treat' to work with. I say all this quite genuinely and don't consider myself to be a 'luvvie' who thinks everything and everyone in the theatre is 'marvellous' and 'extraordinary' - far from it! Just credit where it's due.

A few images now to break up this block of text. First up is the release of a new Sherlock Holmes double bill of audio dramas, The Final Problem and The Empty House:

Nicholas Briggs (Sherlock Holmes)
Richard Earl (Dr Watson)
Alan Cox (Moriarty)
John Banks (Lestrade/Moran)
Beth Chalmers (Mrs Hudson)


The Final Problem 
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Adapted by Nicholas Briggs     


Sherlock Holmes visits his good friend Dr John Watson… but Holmes is not his usual, composed, supremely confident self. He is a hunted man. Having unearthed the criminal mastermind behind the greatest crimes in the land, Holmes has found himself a fugitive. But, the Great Detective already has a plan in motion. It will not be long before his arch foe, Professor Moriarty, is in custody.
If only Holmes and Watson can manage to stay alive in the meantime.

The Empty House
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Adapted by Nicholas Briggs

Still lamenting the death of his valued friend and colleague Sherlock Holmes, Dr Watson finds himself intrigued by a murder case. But as he begins his investigations, a strange old man enters his consulting room. Could it be that Sherlock Holmes is back from the dead, and even now working to solve a murder? The game is once again afoot!

Online reviews & comments:

'A truly wonderful adaptation that’s bolstered by an incredible cast.'

'Superb. Simply superb…'                                                                         Tim      Mass Movement

...followed by The Elite, a Doctor Who audio drama, taken from an original story by Barbara Clegg and adapted by the super-creative talents of Mr. John Dorney:
 The Elite
Peter Davison (The Doctor)
Janet Fielding (Tegan Jovanka) 

Sarah Sutton (Nyssa)
Joe Coen (Aubron)
Ryan Sampson (Thane)
Derek Carlyle (Alaric)
Joannah Tincey (Stemp)
John Banks (Garthak)
Ellie Burrow (Ella)


The Doctor offers Tegan and Nyssa a trip to the paradise world of Florana, but instead the TARDIS takes them to a domed city on a planet scarred by warfare. A world where everyone is young, and fighting for the glory of the Elite...

Hidden away in The Cathedral of Power, the High Priest is watching. It knows the Doctor, and his arrival changes everything...

Joe Coen, Peter Davison, Janet Fielding, John Banks, Sarah Sutton, Derek Carlyle, Ryan Sampson, 
John Dorney and Ellie Burrow
_________________________________________

On October 13th, I'll be taking part in a rehearsed reading to raise funds for Emergence; details here: Emergence  and taken from their website, below:



In 1892 no one would believe that a well-bred young woman could have committed such a violent and bloody crime. Lizzie Borden was accused, tried and acquitted. Based on these events, Blood Relations is a powerful exploration of the fact and fiction that has become the Lizzie Borden legend. Given a certain set of circumstances, is anybody capable of anything?

image of lizzie borden banner

Sharon Pollock’s award winning play finds Lizzie, years later, in the same family home, entertaining a friend and playing with the endless question… Did she, or didn’t she?


The staged reading of Blood Relations by the Resurgence Theatre Company will be a script-in–hand performance with some movement - performed in aid of Emergence's first national fundraising month. The experienced professional cast will have had a few rehearsals where the emphasis will have been on characterisation and the emotional content of the piece - a recipe for a dynamic, spontaneous and powerful theatrical experience in an intimate space.

image of lisa bowermanThe cast features West End actress Lisa Bowerman (right) as Lizzie’s sister Emma Borden. Lisa is best known for roles in two series of Casualty, Dr. Who, Spooks, Bad Girls, Doctors and has just finished filming the role of Jennifer Lingwood in Coronation Street. Also, 13 years as title role in the cult audio series The Adventures of Bernice Summerfield.

The cast also includes Susan Franklyn (Soldier Soldier, Casualty, The Governor), and Max Gold (Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, EastEnders);  
John Banks, Regina Reagan and William Whymper.

The staged reading of Blood Relations will take place on Thursday October 13 (7.15pm) at The Irish Cultural Centre, 5 Blacks Road, London W6 9DT and tickets are £10. To purchase tickets go to https://www.brownpapertickets.com - key in the event you wish to attend and follow the instructions on the site.


This is an emotional piece with resonances relating to personality disorder which people may find unsettling.  There will be a space to discuss this performance at the end. 
  _____________________________________

...and finally; having now recorded four of six Stargate SG-1 episodes with Michael Shanks, there are two more to go before the series is complete and post production work can continue in preparation for release.

...and finally, finally; much enjoyment was had by all in Big Finish's latest venture, which I had the pleasure of being involved with last week. Details to be released later this month!

More news on everything as it happens...

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