Herne The Hunter

Amongst his many other talents, Alex Mallinson is the genius responsible for much of Big Finish's cover art. Chatting to him the other day, between recording sessions for Holmes and The Ripper, he showed me how he'd designed and constructed the image of Herne The Hunter, a character I play in Leviathan, a terrifying mechanoid with a skull like face and antlers. Absolutely fascinating to see what goes into the creation of such an image and, having demonstrated some of the techniques involved, Alex very kindly allowed me to show this final version of Herne:

Having done a little on-line research, I've discovered that there's quite a lot of material relating to the legend of Herne. This from Wikipedia:

Herne is said to have been a huntsman in the employ of King Richard II (reigned 1377-1399) in and around Windsor Forest. He saved the King's life when he was attacked by a cornered white hart, but was mortally wounded himself in the process. A local wizard brought him back to health using his magical powers, which entailed tying the dead animal's antlers on Herne's head. In return, however, Herne had to give up his hunting skills. The other king's huntsmen framed him as a thief. As a result he lost the favour of the king. He was found the next day, hanging dead from a lone oak tree. That same oak tree is in the Home Park at Windsor Castle.

The earliest written account of Herne comes from Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor in 1597:

Sometime a keeper here in Windsor Forest,

Doth all the winter-time, at still midnight,

Walk round about an oak, with great ragg'd horns;

And there he blasts the tree, and takes the cattle,

And makes milch-kine yield blood, and shakes a chain

In a most hideous and dreadful manner.

You have heard of such a spirit, and well you know

The superstitious idle-headed eld

Receiv'd, and did deliver to our age,

This tale of Herne the Hunter for a truth.

— William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor

This records several aspects of Herne's ghost which is said to have haunted Windsor Forest (covering all of East Berkshire and parts of south Buckinghamshire, north-east Hampshire and north-west Surrey) and specifically the Great Park ever since his death. Further details have entered local folklore from reported sightings, such as those in the 1920s. He appears antlered, sometimes beneath the tree on which he was hanged, known as "Herne's Oak", but more often riding his horse, accompanied by other wild huntsmen and the captured souls of those he has encountered on his journey. He is thus a phantom of ill omen, particularly for the country and, specifically, the Royal Family. He has a phosphorescent glow and is accompanied by demon hounds, a horned owl and other creatures of the forest.

All very interesting; meanwhile, back at the plot, here's another example of Alex's work for Big Finish:


Dalek Empire from Detonation Films on Vimeo.

...you gotta have friends

October, and there's been a flurry of autumnal activity.

Firstly and most importantly, I must express a great debt of gratitude to Nicola Bryant, with whom I toured in Don't Look Now, for recommending me to the producers at Big Finish. Thanks to Nicola's generous help, I was invited to submit a 'voice-reel' which happily resulted in the offer of work on Paper Cuts, which was released on 30th September.

Nicola starred as 'Peri', companion to the sixth Doctor Who, played by Colin Baker in the television series. They are currently reprising their roles in The Lost Stories series and I have been fortunate to work with them on two of those episodes.

I'm also very excited about the prospect of working with Nick Briggs on Big Finish's new Sherlock Holmes series. The story is Holmes and the Ripper written by Brian Clemens and Nick is playing Holmes as well as directing.

Brian's previous writing (and producing) credits include: The Avengers, The Persuaders!, Adam Adamant Lives!,The Baron,The Professionals and Danger Man - to mention just a few - amazing!

All for now, more news from Big Finish Productions.... coming soon! 

Doctor Who: Leviathan

CAST:
Colin Baker (The Doctor), Nicola Bryant (Peri), Howard Gossington (Gurth), John Banks (Herne the Hunter), Beth Chalmers (Althya), Jamie Parker (Wulfric), Derek Carlyle (Siward)
 

SYNOPSIS:

No one lives to old age in the village. When their Time is come, they are taken and never seen again. That is The Way. And, should anyone try to break with the established order of things, then the fury of Herne the Hunter is unleashed...

When the TARDIS materializes near a castle in this mediaeval society, the Doctor and Peri befriend Gurth, a terrified youth who is attempting to flee his fate. And Herne is closing in...

Why does the local baron impose the culling? What is the secret of Zeron? And who are the Sentinels of the New Dawn?

The answers lie within a cave...

Leviathan is scheduled for release in January 2010

Online Reviews & comments:

Herne:

' John Banks is able to really let rip with an uninhibitedly guttural performance, augmented and distorted by Simon Robinson’s unsettling sound design. I’ve got a horrible feeling that a few childhood demons might be invading my sleep tonight…'

'Every single member of the cast does an astonishing job of setting their respective roles apart from each other'  

 

Doctor Who: Paper Cuts

 

CAST:
Colin Baker (The Doctor), India Fisher (Charley Pollard), Anthony Glennon (Prince/The Red Emperor in His Youth), Sara Crowe (Tombkeeper - Queen Mother), Paul Thornley (Gomori/Steward), John Banks (Soldier), Nicholas Briggs (Prefect/The Deathless Red Emperor), The Cast (Sazou/Deathless Emperors)

SYNOPSIS:

The Empire is lost.The Deathless Emperors are dead. The future may never happen.
An urgent summons returns the noble Doctor to a planet he saved from disaster long ago. But Draconia, so elegant and so savage, is in worse turmoil than ever.

Who will be next Emperor? The highest Prince? The lowest peasant? The soldier with no name? Or the Doctor himself – his life at their command? Who controls the army of deadly origami warriors? And is the truth about Charley painted on paper walls in the Emperor’s tomb?

History is taking revenge on the Doctor.

Paper Cuts is due for release September 2009 available on CD or download from Big Finish Productions.

Bedlam - The History of Bethlem Hospital

It's been All Quiet on the West End Front for a while, but happily, I've recently been working on a very interesting drama-documentary project, on the history of Bethlem Hospital in London, directed for The History Channel by Joe Matthews. The transmission dates for the programme will be sometime in early 2010 apparently, in the meantime however, there is a trailer which can be seen via the Internet Links section.



I played Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, who was at the time, Home Secretary. Above is a portrait of the Earl. Despite the nature of the piece, it was great fun to do and I enjoyed working with everyone involved. We filmed the parliamentary sections at Suttons Hospital, Charterhouse.

I understand that there'll be an opportunity for us all to get together and see the final edit of the programme in a few months time, which I'm looking forward to very much.

Mr. Happiness

So, here we are, already well into the new year and the extended run of Don't Look Now has come to an end. The very exciting current news is that in collaboration with Rachel Illingworth, our fledgling Small Coin Theatre Company has been selected to take part in the 25th Anniversary One Act Play Festival at The New End Theatre, Hampstead. Our production is Mr.Happiness, one of David Mamet's earlier short plays, darkly funny and beautifully constructed. I'm slightly terrified, as ever, of screwing it up and at the same time, relishing the prospect of trying to do justice to the piece and very much looking forward to working with Rachel, whose work to date includes productions at The King's Head Islington, where she directed scenes from Sam Sheperd's True West and Southwark Playhouse where she co-directed Suburbia by Eric Bogosian. Rachel graduated from Goldsmith's in 2008.

All we have to do now is do it.......!

.......29th May ...and now it's all over! It was an enjoyable and worthwhile project; Rachel did an excellent job with the direction and the show went well I think. Here's a review and a rehearsal photo:


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. Mr. Happiness sits at his desk as though enthroned there, addressing his mike with practised courtesy, quietly pompous, a little god. His answers to the letters spread in front of him are never actually wrong but the assumptions are unremittingly conventional and 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

Do Look Now!

From The Times

January 17, 2009

Top Five Theatre:

4 DON'T LOOK NOW
Rula Lenska stars in an adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's chiller, formerly a fine film, about menace and horror in Venice. Theatre Royal, New Road, Brighton (www.theambassadors.com/theatreroyal 0870 0606650), from Mon, until Jan 24
Benedict Nightingale
...recommended from last year's run!

Encore!

So, on we go with the next leg of the Don't Look Now tour from 15th January to 7th March; Shirley Anne Field takes over from Rula Lenska.

Caponi strikes again!

Next On:

'Allo 'Allo! » The Gestapo for the High Jump (1992) - Italian Corporal

Sunday 11th January 12:05pm - BBC1

All My Sons with John Ringham 1993

"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."

The Stage and Television Today.

John Ringham

Reading the latest Equity Journal this morning, I was saddened to learn that John Ringham passed away on 20th October 2008. We worked together at The Everyman in Cheltenham, John's home town, on a production of All My Sons; John played Joe Keller and I played his son, Chris. Posted above are some production photographs.

We got on extremely well together, he really was a joy to work with although I think its fair to say that he didn't take any prisoners when it came to the job of acting, which he was clearly passionate about. I had taken over the role of Chris from another actor a week after rehearsals had started. Understandably, John was a little 'edgy' about the prospect of effectively starting again with someone new and with only two further weeks to go before opening. We met at the beginning of afternoon rehearsals on the Monday of week two; as the director was introducing me to the company, John's immediate response was "I don't care who he is as long as he can act!" No prisoners indeed!

Somehow I needed to reassure him that he had no cause to worry and that I was up to the job. From the end of that first afternoon, I made sure that I was 'off the book' for every subsequent rehearsal. That seemed to do the trick, he relaxed and we very quickly got into our stride and made terrific progress. It subsequently proved to be one of those occasions where the entire company of actors, crew and production staff worked brilliantly well together and came up with a remarkable production of which I am extremely proud. Sadly, our professional paths never crossed again.

 
I loved working with John and hope he felt the same about me.

Don't Look Now

Daphne Du Maurier’s classic thriller Don’t Look Now is brought to the stage with an all-star cast including renowned actress Rula Lenska, Peter Amory (Chris Tate from Emmerdale) and Nicola Bryant (Doctor Who).

Following the death of their daughter, John and Laura visit Venice to try and escape their grief. When they meet two aged sisters, who claim to have psychic visions, strange things start to happen. John begins to question his own sanity, and that of his wife, who seems to be completely under the sisters’ command.
This classic drama promises an evening of suspense and intrigue from the celebrated author Daphne Du Maurier, whose recently staged works include September Tide, My Cousin Rachel and Rebecca.
Made into an iconic film in 1973 starring Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland, this story begins as a moving examination of grief – and becomes a chilling tale with a dark and terrifying climax.

I Hate Mobile Phones Pt2

Congratulations! Your short film has been picked to feature in this week’s VC2 show, Brand Spanking New.
Tune into Current TV.

Tuesday 16th September 2008 at 11pm

premiering...
I Hate Mobile PhonesAn hilarious comedy rant produced by John Silke and presenter Daniel Maxim, the team who bought you A Very British Day Out.

+ Sky 183
+ Virgin Media 155

Emmerdale & Coronation Street

...a brief update: recently played 'Dr. Hibbert' on Emmerdale which was great fun and next week, I'm back to do some more work on Coronation Street in a plot line so top secret, that so far, I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing! Apart from that, my first episode of Allo, Allo! was on BBC 1 again a couple of Sundays ago and I've just opened in a touring production of Don't Look Now with Rula Lenska, Peter Amory and Nicola Bryant.

Look North Interview

I should mention that if you do have a look at the BBC clip, the actress I'm rehearsing with is the great Joanne Stoner