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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Thursday 30 July 2015

Survivors: Series Three



Branching out from the harrowing events of the recently released second series, Series 3 focuses on a new group of Survivors, living in the ruins of London during the events of the original TV series. 

Returning from the first box set is Maddie Price (Chase Masterson), still looking for a way back to the USA.

 Her desperate search will lead her to cross paths with some old friends – and some new enemies.


Scheduled for release November 2015

Thursday 23 July 2015

...so what's happening?

Good question. I've just been looking over the last posting, which only seems like a couple of days ago, but is in fact, a couple of weeks ago. That's really been the story of 2015; the time has zipped by and we're already more than half way through the year. The dominant event of July has been the recording of Adam Thirlwell's novel, Lurid&Cute. I was a little nervous before recording began, for a couple of reasons; primarily because L&C is the first audio book I've done this year and I wondered if I was going to be a bit rusty when recording began. Also, as I mentioned in the previous posting, the text is quite 'quirky' in construction and sentences don't always go in the direction you think they might. Punctuation is also used in unconventional ways, again setting potential traps for the narrator. These technical obstacles aren't always apparent when reading silently to ones self but become acutely apparent when reading aloud. Odd syntax and the use of non English words focussed my attention too and I noted that one particular sentence was 92 lines long! L&C is the third Adam Thirlwell novel I've recorded, the others being Politics and The Escape, and I've enjoyed working on all of them; I think if somehow you can hit the appropriate 'tone' and let the narrative roll along, it all seems to work pretty well - in my head at least!

So what else? Well, Big Finish have released Doctor Who: The Fate of Krelos, starring Tom Baker and Louise Jameson. The second part of the adventure, Return To Krelos, is released next month. Full details appear on the Big Finish web site, but here's the cover artwork and a general synopsis of each story:


There are dark skies on Krelos… and something gigantic is descending.

Meanwhile, the Doctor and Leela set off for some fishing in the mountain pools of Krelos. K9 has interfaced with the TARDIS and has reactivated the architectural configuration from the days of the Doctor’s second incarnation. In passing, the Doctor notes it could do with a good clean. And there’s a familiar piece of material snagged on the console.
Far up the mountain, an aged explorer is in trouble. Will the Doctor and Leela be able to save him and his planet?

And what is it that K9 has discovered in the TARDIS?


The Doctor reveals to Leela that they’re heading for the planet Telos. And K9 has new masters...

On Telos, in the past, the Second Doctor and Jamie are exploring the ‘tomb of the Cybermen’.

Meanwhile, the Cyber-Controller and Cyber-Planner consolidate their plans. Spare parts from Krelos are being used to construct a mighty Cyber army. The Doctor must be captured.

Out of control, the TARDIS tumbles down a chasm and the Doctor and Leela find themselves caught up in full-scale planetary invasion.



Written and directed by Nick Briggs, the cast includes:

Tom Baker The Doctor    Louise Jameson Leela    John Leeson K9    Frazer Hines Jamie  
Michael Cochrane Geralk   Bernard Holley Peter Haydon   Veronica Roberts Relly 
Nicholas Briggs The Cybermen

I've just added Krelos to my phone and look forward to giving it a listen. I worked on both stories, although I'm fairly sure I won't be officially credited. There's nothing unusual in that, although it does make keeping track of what I've done a bit trickier that it might otherwise be! 


Before the month ends, I'm looking forward to being back in the studio to record further Big Finish stories, details of which will no doubt appear here, when I'm allowed to reveal them. 

...all for now, more just as soon as it happens!

Tuesday 7 July 2015

Summertime and the livin' is... busy!

Indeed, very busy. And that's my only excuse for once again being a bit of a slacker when it comes to updating the site. There's been a lot going on this month (Big Finish, Games Workshop) and much of what's coming up needs time to fully prepare. I'm starting work on an audio book next week, which I'm really looking forward to; Lurid & Cute by Adam Thirlwell. It will be the third book of Adam Thirlwell's I've recorded and the second with producer Chris Sharp. I'm currently reading through and making notes and will hopefully be ready when recording starts on Monday - should be fun.

Yesterday, I was in the studio to record some Doctor Who with the Big Finish gang and although silence must prevail on the whole enterprise, I can tell you that the cast and script were excellent and an enjoyable day was had by all of us. As usual, I'll be much more forthcoming about this story nearer the time of release, although I suspect that might be quite some time hence.

There's more Big Finish before the end of the month, some intriguing corporate voice over stuff to do and I have to prepare and submit a recorded vocal audition, for which I'll have to brush up my classical Persian pronunciation! If it all works out, we should hopefully start to record the project fairly soon.

And finally for now; arriving home last night, I found that this quite handsome APA Finalist Medallion had arrived from the USA - it looks fab! Many thanks to the APA!

Tempting to wear it at the next recording; whaddya think - good idea? No? Oh, ok...



...all for now, more just as soon 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