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

Media Content

This Windows 10 Googleblog is designed and best viewed on Firefox; unfortunately, some media content may not function properly with other browsers or operating systems.

Search This Blog

Saturday 2 November 2013

Unquiet slumbers for the sleepers...

" So, did you get there?
  What?
  Did you get there, did you make it? On Monday? 
  Did you get to the recording studio; y'know, for the audio book?
  Nah, called it off; neither of us could get in. Trains.
  So what happened? "

I'll tell you what happened. I finally made it into London at about 4.30, much too late to start work - and checked into a hotel for the night - who was to say the trains would be running properly the next day? And two lost days out of a three day recording schedule would be a bit tricky... a bit tricky. So Tuesday morning, me and producer Chris Sharp, " hi Chris, hi John", sealed ourselves away in Studio 3 and made a start. By late afternoon the next day, the job was done - on schedule.

There was something about the book that I really enjoyed, technically, as a reader. It had flow, it had style. I had fun. I'll post all the details when the final product is released and as I never get to hear any of the work I've done, I might just have to buy a copy and find out what it's all about. Yes, I just might. As we were finishing on Wednesday, I was asked if I'd like to record another audio book written by the same author; only snag, we'd need to start recording the next morning. Record a book I hadn't read; an 'instinctive' read. So that's what happened. " hi Neil, hi John " And we made a start. Because of other commitments, we'll pick up recording in a couple of weeks time - hopefully, no-one will hear the join.

" Other commitments? " Well, yes. On Friday, I was in a different studio on the other side of London doing something else, with some other people, also great fun. And next week is looking interesting too; in fact the next several weeks are looking interesting - and busy. Good. On Tuesday, I'm thrilled to be recording a voice over for a movie; it's called Shadow Industry, directed by Henry Vought and produced by Marie Favre. There's a trailer below:
 


Wednesday and Thursday should be very exciting indeed as we are back in the studio for more... hang on. Sorry. I'm sorry, but as you probably already know, I can't tell you just yet. Would love to, but can't. Not yet. Then, on Friday, another audio book; a biggie - lots of pages and small print; should finish sometime in December - really, December.

And what of the Classic Doctors on Watch Channel that I've been blurbing on about for the last few weeks? Today's episode, Battlefield, originally broadcast from 6 September to 27 September 1989, starred Sylvester McCoy as Doctor number Seven (when Sylvester says that, he usually 'whistles' the 's' - you can imagine) and Sophie Aldred as Ace.

I've mentioned this in previous posts, but perhaps I can get away with a quick repetition; when I was in my early teens, Sylvester, before he became the Doctor, came to our school and led our drama group in a workshop, which I remember enjoying very much - small world!

Coincidentally, I've worked with Doctor Seven, seven times.


Other people I've had the great pleasure of working with from this story include Angela Bruce, who played Brigadier Winifred Bambera and the amazing Jean Marsh, whom I regard as nothing less than A National Treasure.

Tomorrow, it's the turn of Paul McGann to play Doctor number Eight and after that, I think I'll cancel my own series of weekend Classic Who updates, before I become terminally predictable.

To round off today's posting, a bit of a teaser I'm afraid. I'm waiting for final confirmation of something which I have to say, I'm getting very, very excited about. Hopefully, sometime next week, I'll be able to tell you all about it.


In the meantime; just to say that I'll be playing a character called Shafto in a repeat of Street & Lane on BBC Radio 4 Extra on Tuesday morning at 9.30.

                            


Written by Dave Sheasby and Ian McMillan (t' Bard o' Barnsley), the series stars Finetime Fontayne and Nick Lane, so do tune in - it's funny!


More news as it happens!

No comments:

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