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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Monday 13 July 2020

Missy: Series 2


Good afternoon and welcome to today's update, which features a couple of interesting audio releases. The first production to mention, is the second series of 'Missy', a Doctor Who/Big Finish spin-off series, which many readers of these pages may already be aware of.

As previously mentioned, I'd had a bit of a gap with Big Finish audio dramas and Missy was the first recording I'd made with them for quite some time. My contribution to this box-set of stories, The Lumiat, was recorded on 17th June 2019 and the last thing I'd recorded before that, Sherlock Holmes: The Master of Blackstone Grange, was on 27th September 2017; which also happened to be the 100th Big Finish story I'd done with Ken Bentley as director.

It probably goes without saying, that I'm pleased indeed to be working with Big Finish again and I'm looking forward to whatever else might come my way with them in future.

And so, on to details of what Missy Series 2 is all about:

Missy


Missy… alone, unleashed and unfettered. What does she get up to when the Doctor isn’t around?

Now she has what she wants, Missy needs someone to show off to. But her temporal mischief attracts the wrong kind of attention.

Infuriating children, a vacationing Sontaran and her own worst intentions will get in her way. And a Meddling Monk, out for revenge...


2.1 The Lumiat by Lisa McMullin

Missy is glorying in the chaos, hoping that a certain someone might turn up.

What she doesn’t expect is an entirely different do-gooder spoiling her plans and teaching her life lessons.

Because, whoever she is, the Lumiat knows far more about Missy than anyone should...

2.2 Brimstone and Terror by Roy Gill

Missy wants an army, a brigade of willing youngsters, trained to serve. So she takes a teaching post at a remote Scottish boarding school.

But one of these boys knows Missy of old. And when Oliver Davis summons his sister for help, Lucy brings an ally from London. One Mr Strax...

2.3 Treason and Plot by Gemma Arrowsmith

The Gunpowder Plot. It’s a favourite of time travellers. If Missy’s going to hitch a ride, that’s the place to cause trouble. Especially if trouble makes a really big bang.

The only person in her way, trying to keep history on track, is a rookie Time Agent. But Rita Cooper wanted excitement...

2.4 Too Many Masters by John Dorney

The Monk has captured Missy. And he will have his revenge...

But the Ogrons are also looking to settle an old debt. And when they call it in, they find themselves with too many Time Lords on their hands.

The Master owes them big – and the Ogrons know who the Master is. Don’t they?



Michelle Gomez (Missy)
Rufus Hound (The Meddling Monk)
Gina McKee (The Lumiat)
Dan Starkey (Strax)
Ajjaz Awad (Lydia)
John Banks (Radolf / Lieutenant Grappa / Feyza)             
Oliver Clement (Oliver Davis)
Ben Fox (Robert Catesby)
Helen Goldwyn (Empress Maule)
Christopher Hatherall (Guy Fawkes)
Alex Hope (Lawrence McAllister)
Matthew Jacobs-Morgan (Bertram / Manilaius)
Bonnie Kingston (Lucy Davis)
Glen McCready (Burnsbright / Librarian / Ogron 2)
Cameron Percival (Rowan Fairley)
Philip Pope (Rita’s Boss / William / Baron Worthing)
Dan Starkey (Strax / Mr Strackie / Mr Cosmo)
Ony Uhiara (Rita Cooper)
Eve Webster (Keeza / Captain Rosecco / Han)
Robert Whitelock (Grolk / Ogrons / Servant)


Directed by Samuel Clemens & Ken Bentley

Produced by David Richardson


Length: 306 minutes on 4 discs


Just before moving on from this update to the next, I just want to mention what a delight it was to meet and work with Gina McKee. The recording schedule meant that we ended up spending a fair bit of time together in the green room and we chatted along like old pals, even though we'd never met before. That in itself, is not especially unusual amongst actors; we're often thrown together, however briefly, and have to be able to 'hang out' and generally enjoy each other's company fairly instantaneously. I particularly enjoyed 'hanging out' with and talking to Gina, especially as we evidently have so much in common! But maybe that's a story for another day...


* * * * *


The second release in today's update, is an anthology of stories written by my friend, Neil Gardner, with whom I've worked on a great many audio books. This story, The Sound Within, was recorded some time ago and was something I did at the end of a regular working day; I seem to remember recording it in one take, though my memory might be playing tricks on me!

Here are some details:

The Sound Within

Brought together for the first time as a complete collection, you will find here 16 short audio stories written by award-winning audio writer/producer/director Neil Gardner.  

These 16 short tales delve into realms of existential investigation, from dark horror and science fiction futures to fantastical flights of scientific wonder. Each story is a self-contained world of its own, a moment in time that illuminates a thought, a person, an experience or a curiosity.


'The Sound Within' – John Banks
'Saya’s Last Gasp – Louise Jameson
'Focal Point' – Geoffrey Beevers
'Inside the Machine' – Nicola Bryant
'The Embrace' – Christopher Ragland
'Outside Looking In' – Anneke Wills
'Day One' – Peter Noble
'Twin Points' – Michael Fenton Stevens
'Saya’s First Giant Step' – Louise Jameson
'Extermin8' – Terry Molloy
'The Waiting Room' – Toby Longworth
'Wrist Watch' – Nicola Bryant
'Truncated' – Christopher Ragland
'New Born' – Billie Fulford Brown
'Space Hopper' – Dan Starkey
'The Last of the Tea Ladies' – Louise Jameson

Length: 2 hrs and 28 mins


Narrated by a who’s-who of legendary TV and audio performers, many from the world of Doctor Who (where Neil is a leading audio producer) and underscored by beautiful and evocative incidental music.  

These are short stories written specifically to be performed in audio. We hope you enjoy the ride...and the journeys of thought you are taken on.

* * * * *

And so, to round up for today; there's just time to mention that the new 'home studio' is near to completion and has already been used on several productions, including a full length audio book and a multi-character audio drama, which is both gratifying and a great relief!

In a few weeks time, I'll begin the 'home recording' of three different series of audio books, projects which carry on into late spring 2021. It's quite a daunting prospect, as I'm sure you can imagine, though after a long period of enforced inactivity during lockdown, I consider myself fortunate indeed to be working again. The technical learning curve is looking pretty vertical at the moment and as ever, I just hope I don't screw it all up!

And on that note, that's...


...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