April 2012

Oh to be in England, now that April's there... or April In Paris, April Fool or April Showers - whatever associations April has, I must say that 2012's incarnation has been pretty good fun so far and there's much to look forward to before the month's end.

This week, I've been thoroughly enjoying myself recording a new Doctor Who story. However, it might be quite some time before the story is released and unfortunately, until Big Finish publish details and dates, I'm unable to say much more at the moment. What I can say, is that once again I felt greatly privileged to find myself working with such a distinguished cast and look forward to the time when all can be revealed!

April is another month without a BF release for me to specifically talk about, although next month, there should be some interesting updates and artwork to look at with the release of the first box-set trilogy of  Stargate SG-1 and my first Fourth Doctor story, Trail of The White Worm starring Tom Baker and Louise Jameson, both of which I'm really looking forward to hearing.

In the meantime, here's a poster for the forthcoming Series 3 of Doctor Who: The Lost Stories:

The series begins in May with the release of  The Guardians of Prophecy and my first of the series,  

The First Sontarans, is scheduled for release in July.

...and another poster revealing details of a new Doctor Who mini-series starring Peter Davison, 

Sarah Sutton, Janet Fielding and Mark Strickson, the first of which is released this month. I'm in the third part of the trilogy, The Butcher of Brisbane scheduled for release in June.

To round off this posting, I must just mention that during this week's recording, I was asked to voice introductions for two forthcoming Doctor Who stories, which will be used on the Big Finish web site. How amazing! I couldn't quite believe that I'd been afforded such a rare privilege - I won't say which stories they are; maybe you'll guess if or when you listen to the trailers.

Quick update 25th April:  Apparently one of the intros mentioned above had already been recorded, which meant that only one of mine was needed after all. So close! At least the 'chosen one' is now up on the Big Finish web site - but which one???

Just finished recording another audio-drama, full details of which will be revealed in a few months time. The story required quite a big company of actors and I had enormous fun working with friends old and new, something I'm looking forward to saying more about nearer the time of release. 

Another busy month and there'll be much more to talk about in May. 

A bientot!

PS: My original web site at actor-johnbanks.com will be taken down on April 30th. Sad to see it go in some ways, but it means that I can concentrate on maintaining this site, which has always been technically an easier task. Many thanks to all those who visited and supported the site over the last few years.

March 2012

March already and this month's posting is a bit of an oddity insofar as there's quite a bit going on, which you might well be interested in, but which unfortunately, I can't really talk about in detail - how frustrating!

What I can say, is that in recent weeks, I've been 'reading-in' on a series of Doctor Who stories and I'm scheduled to do more later this month. From a production point of view, there are all sorts of logistical reasons for doing this and for me, it's great practice, great fun and an interesting challenge to play multiple roles without the pressure of having to give a definitive performance.You may remember that I also did quite a bit of reading-in on Stargate SG-1, although that was slightly different in that I also had characters of my own to play.

Released in January, Sherlock Holmes: The Tangled Skein has attracted some very positive reviews; this is taken from Mass Movement magazine and appears on the BF website:

'From Baker Street to Devon (and Baskerville Hall), The Tangled Skein hurtles along at an unholy pace, twisting and turning its way to the final battle between Dracula and Holmes. Nicholas Briggs and Richard Earl are as reliable as ever as Holmes and Watson and leap into the story with gusto and bravado, which in turn helps to ensure that the rest of the ensemble (especially John Banks and Giles Watling) turn their performances up a couple of notches, delivering one of the best Holmes tales that I’ve been privileged to experience, leaving me with a rabid desire to track down and buy the novel (by David Stuart Davies) on which the play is based. Peter Cushing was right. It would be an incredible film… '

ScripTease  

The Electric Theatre, Guildford 

LynchPin Productions Theatre Company present an evening of play readings in the intimate setting of our Cafe Bar. It is their hope to expand the concept of Readers' Theatre, 'teasing' out scripts and exposing audiences to plays they might not otherwise have the chance to experience. ScripTease also offers playwrights the opportunity to test new work with actors in front of a live audience.

Post Modern - A new play by Gareth Strachan:

Brecht, Pinter, Beckett, Chekov, Shakespeare, Ibsen, Behn. Seven dead playwrights stuck in Purgatory as blue collar postal workers for 'crimes against theatre'.

Thanks to all who turned up to last night's reading of Post Modern; a large and enthusiastic audience helped to make the evening great fun and a great success. This was my first time performing at such an event at The Electric Theatre and indeed, working with LynchPin and I have to say that I very much enjoyed playing 'Samuel Beckett', something I never expected to be able to say and which will probably never happen again!

Last week, I also took part in a private play-reading at The Duke of York's Theatre: Code of Conduct by Kathryn Duffy and John Berry. A fascinating 'work in progress' which I hope goes on to be developed into a full production.

To bring the month to a suitably theatrical finale, I'm off to see a stage version of the hugely popular '90's sit-com Birds of a Feather  tonight, with my very good friends        Gary Lawson and Jenny Lecoat, who wrote many of the scripts for the television series. Gary has in fact also written this stage version of the show and so I'm looking forward to a very festive evening's entertainment.

And just to further my credentials as a bit of a culture vulture, tomorrow evening I'm going to Circus Space in London to see a performance of circus skills given by graduate students, which should be fantastic.

More Doctor Who next month and more updates anon...

February 2012

Graceless: Series II

Ciara Janson (Abby),  
Laura Doddington (Zara),         
Fraser James (Marek),  
Susan Brown,  
Michael Cochrane,  
Derek Griffiths,  
Joanna van Gyseghem,  
Daisy Ashford,  
John Banks,
Joseph Kloska

Abby and her sister Zara are not real people. They were created by pan-dimensional beings to help save space and time.

They’ve been blessed with special powers. They can see into people’s heads, even influence their thoughts. And, so long as they’re together, they can go anywhere or when.


But the universe is dangerous, unpredictable. Abby and Zara have made mistakes – and many thousands have died. They know they’ve done wrong, that they have made enemies, who scour all of history to find them.

So they keeping moving on, trying to make amends, trying to help people. And not to do any more harm…

Part One: The Line

“The moment we stop, the moment we let the past catch up with us… We're done for.”

Marek has brought Abby and Zara home to the city where he grew up. They’re wary at first – they’re meant to keep a low profile. But Marek assures them that everyone he knows here is dead.

There’s a Rune Festival approaching, an excuse for a wild party – and it’s like there’s something in the air. Abby and Zara are soon swept up in the crowd, but Marek hasn’t told them the whole truth.

Why has he brought them here? What can they do to help? And why is everyone so terrified of Manchu Golding?

Part Two: The Flood  

“There goes the neighbourhood.”

The rain hasn’t stopped in three days and the floodwaters are rising. A small group of townspeople are determined to stop their town from being dragged into the sea.

Abby and Zara are keen to help – anything to keep themselves busy after what they’ve both just been through. Maybe, finally, they’ve found somewhere they might settle down…

But there’s something causing the food. And it can’t let anything stand in its way.

Part Three: The Dark                                                      

“When you’re together, you two can do anything.”

Wherever Abby and Zara have ended up this time, their powers no longer work.

It’s dark and cold and there are no stars. Frequent sand storms threaten to cut the girls to pieces. But they are not alone…

On a planet at the end of the universe, someone they never thought they would see again has been patiently waiting.

 ______________________

And so, after a brief delay, Graceless II is scheduled for release this month. I have to confess that I knew very little about this 'spin off' series before recording began. Nevertheless, working with another fantastic BF cast and crew was a great pleasure as always.

The two lead characters, played by Ciara and Laura, are both quite feisty and combative, which gave the whole thing an interestingly 'adult' quality. Recording took place several months ago and I'm really looking forward to listening to these stories, especially as they feature characters and conventions new to me.
                                                                                   

 


L-R in the photo are: Fraser James, Laura Doddington, Ciara Janson, Derek Griffiths & John Banks.

Graceless was written by Simon Guerrier, directed by Lisa Bowerman and produced by Mark Wright.

Stargate SG-1 Series 3: Parts 1 & 2

Hot off the press is news that the long awaited third series of Stargate SG-1 is now available for pre-order from Big Finish:

'Out in two box sets, each release contains three full-cast adventures starring Michael Shanks as Daniel Jackson and Claudia Black as Vala Mal Doran, set in the heart of the tenth season with the Ori threat at its peak.

The first box set features the pair taking on the last of the System Lords, Ba'al, played once more by Cliff Simon, while the second box set is an Asgard-centric one and features the return of Thor (once more played by Michael Shanks) and the Asgard as you've never seen them before...

Each box set contains three discs with one story on each, but they combine to form two larger arcs. Join us for the biggest Stargate adventure yet, with drama, action, comedy, romance - and one particularly appalling pun!'

Part 1 is scheduled for release in May, followed by Part 2 in August and I'm very much looking forward to listening to these stories, which I have to say were an absolute treat to work on. Great thanks to Michael Shanks, director Lisa Bowerman, producer Paul Spragg and the ever brilliant Toby Robinson, recording engineer at Moat Studios, for helping to make the overall seven month recording period such an enjoyable time.

Because of the various commitments and availability of some of the stars of SG-1, not to mention the added complication of recording in London, Los Angeles and Vancouver, at some point in the recording process, I think I must have 'read-in' for every part, with the possible exception of 'Thor' which was played, as in the TV series, by Michael Shanks*. However, I'm sure you'll be profoundly relieved to know that the final recordings will have a full compliment of hugely talented actors, each playing their respective roles to audio-dramatic perfection! 

I'll post full details of who is playing whom, specific story titles and synopses nearer the time of release.

                                                                                                                            

Roll on May - can't wait!

    * see Sept 2011 posting below

January 2012

The start of a new year with quite a bit to mention and so, without further ado, here we go....

For many Big Finish Doctor Who fans, 2012 will be a time of keen anticipation as well as, hopefully, lots of fun and enjoyment. The new Fourth Doctor stories, starring Tom Baker, accompanied by original companions and pitted against a formidable array of adversaries, will be released from January onwards. 

As mentioned in the August 2011 posting, I was privileged indeed to work with Tom and Louise Jameson on two audio dramas, Trail of The White Worm and The Oseidon Adventure, which also sees the return of The Kraals. For full details of which Fourth Doctor stories are being released and when, I would urge you to go to the Big Finish web site - here's the link: Big Finish - where all will be revealed and explained. In the meantime, here's a poster to further whet the appetite:

and here's a preview from BF:




This month also has the release of my final Sherlock Holmes story, The Tangled Skein, which was another hugely enjoyable adventure with Nick, Richard and the rest of the company.

The Tangled Skein

Nicholas Briggs (Sherlock Holmes),  
Richard Earl (Dr Watson),
Barnaby Edwards (Mr Jack Stapleton),  
Beth Chalmers (Mrs Hudson/Delia Lydgate/Mary Gardner/The Phantom Lady/Catherine Hunter Landlady),  
John Banks (Professor Abraham Van Helsing Inspector Lestrade/Policeman/Meinster
Silas Gardner),
Giles Watling (Count Dracula/Matthew Boulton
Dr Collins)

A threat to Holmes’s life, murders on Hampstead Heath and a deadly phantom lady lead Holmes and Watson into the most dangerous investigation they have ever undertaken… An encounter which brings them face to face with evil itself, embodied in Count Dracula, the Lord of the Undead.

23rd May 2011...

...trying to look vaguely 'serious' for the camera during recording of The Tangled Skein...

...but the true nature of a day with Big Finish can't be contained for long!

L-R in the photos are: Beth Chalmers, John Banks, Barnaby Edwards, Giles Watling 

and in the foreground, Richard Earl and Nick Briggs.

__________________________________________________

More as it happens, but in the meantime, a very Happy New Year to all!

...and finally: if you'd like a signed copy of The Children of Seth, which was released last month, there are a limited number available from tenthplanetevents.co.uk

December 2011

Looking back to this time last year, I'm reminded of the deep and still falling snow, coping with transport chaos and struggling to get to the studios to record a sequence of  Doctor Who stories starring Peter Davison. Working together over a relatively extended period of weeks, we developed a 'Band of Brothers' spirit and found sanctuary in the cosy confines of Moat Studios and the legendary hospitality provided by Toby Robinson. The pub round the corner also became a welcome re-fuelling station before setting off for home, although Peter had no such respite as he had to get to The Savoy Theatre for his evening performance of Legally Blonde. Despite most of us eventually succumbing to 'the company cold'  I think we all had a great time - I certainly did!

Three of the stories that I'm involved with from that period are currently available and this month sees the release of The Children of Seth.

In the February 2011 posting, I quoted producer David Richardson who said:

“We knew we had to get the very best for this one,” says David, “because it’s such a wonderful script. And it was beautiful to listen to in studio – I think we have discovered something very special indeed…”

Peter Davison (The Doctor), 

Janet Fielding (Tegan Jovanka), 

Sarah Sutton (Nyssa), 

Honor Blackman (Anahita),  

Adrian Lukis (Byzan),  

David Warner (Siris),  

Vernon Dobtcheff (Shamur),  

Matt Addis (Albis),  

Emerald O’Hanrahan (Mira),  

John Banks (Radulf Varidi)

During one of Nyssa’s experiments, the TARDIS’s temporal scanner picks up a message: ‘Idra’. Just one word, but enough to draw the Doctor to the Archipelago of Sirius.

There, the Autarch is about to announce a new crusade. A mighty war against Seth, Prince of the Dark...


But who is Seth? What is the secret of Queen Anahita, Mistress of the Poisons? And what terror awaits on Level 14?

   

Online reviews & comments:

'It's a great story, with phenomenal performances and production values up to the very high standard the Lost Stories have set.'
                                                                                                                   Eiphel    The Time Scales

And finally, for the time being at least , a recording that I'm really looking forward to hearing: 

The Hound of The Baskervilles

Nicholas Briggs (Sherlock Holmes),
Richard Earl (Dr Watson),  
Samuel Clemens (Sir Henry Baskerville),  
John Banks (Dr Mortimer/Mr John Barrymore/Selden/Postmaster/Lestrade),  
Barnaby Edwards (Mr Jack Stapleton),  
Charlie Norfolk (Miss Beryl Stapleton/Mrs Eliza Barrymore/Laura Lyons)

Young Dr Mortimer ventures from Devonshire to Baker Street, with news of the death of his friend, Sir Charles Baskerville. Can it really be that the grisly legend of the Hound of the Baskervilles might have something to do with the case? Holmes will have none of it, but even he must accept that dark forces are at work. Darks forces that it seems Dr Watson must face alone…

 

Online reviews & comments:

'This Big Finish adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles is a masterpiece...'

'The cast for this story is as good as it gets.'
                                                                                                                      Stevo       The Time Scales
 
I must say how delighted I am to have been asked to take part in this series and to have been given such a fabulous range of characters to play. There's a pod-cast to accompany the stories, a link to which is here:

Sherlock Holmes Pod-Cast

I think we all felt quite a sense of responsibility in playing these characters and recording these stories. Sherlock Holmes seems to have been in the public consciousness for such a long time and even those who aren't dedicated fans have an idea as to how the characters should appear and how they should be played.

I can only hope that the passion and care that went into the creation of this series is communicated via the recordings.

So far, I've listened to the first CD in the collection which has The Final Problem and The Empty House. I enjoyed both audio-dramas enormously and hope the high standard of story telling is maintained in  

The Hound of The Baskervilles.

I can't wait to hear it!

And just to round off this ever lengthening post (!), a 'behind the scenes' look at Moat Studios during the recording sessions for these Sherlock Holmes audio-dramas.

The particular story being recorded here is The Tangled Skein, full details of which will appear in next month's posting to coincide with its commercial release. In the meantime, enjoy a quick studio tour in the company of Sherlock Holmes himself, Mr Nicholas Briggs!

November 2011

 In an earlier version of this month's posting, I mentioned that the 'rumblings' for November couldn't be expanded on at that time and, unfortunately, that's still the case. So, instead, perhaps an opportunity to mention something from last month.

Where to start? 1978 I think it was, Stratford-upon-Avon, Royal Shakespeare Company, The Other Place. Peter McEnery was playing the title role in David Edgar's play: The Jail Diary of Albie Sachs. I was a second year student at Birmingham University, studying Drama & Theatre Arts and David Edgar was Playwright in Residence at the department, although, I lay no claim to having known him at all. The RSC was in a 'golden' period of work and I saw much of what they were doing; indeed, there were strong links between the University and the Company, consequently, the only real 'ambition' I've ever had as an actor, in terms of what I'd like to do professionally, is to be a member of the RSC. Haven't managed it yet!

Anyway..... before seeing it, I had no idea what the play was about or who Albie Sachs was; for all I knew, he could have been a fictional character.

The script of the play carries this synopsis:

Albie Sachs, a young white South African lawyer, was arrested in Cape Town in October 1963. He was held in solitary confinement under the infamous 90-Day Law, which allowed the police to hold suspects for an indefinite period. Jail Diary is the story of his bid to hold out against his interrogators, who wished to break him down and obtain information about his friends and clients in the South African resistance.

It doesn't happen often, but when you see such a play, it confirms just how powerful and potentially life changing the theatre can be. As a student, my understanding of what theatre could do 'shifted' during that performance and caused me to think of things differently from that point onwards, both in theatrical and political terms.

Fast forward to spring 1980, final exams looming and I had the opportunity to do what ever I wanted for my final practical assessment. Having seen the play a couple of times, the choice for me was obvious. I selected three monologues and performed them as a one-man piece lasting for the allotted time of 15 minutes. It went well in performance and I have very vivid memories of the effect it had both on my lecturers who were 'marking' me and the largely student audience who came to it much as I had originally done.

Fast forward even further to October 2011; one of my dearest friends from University, Jenny Lecoat, who is a hugely successful writer, invited me to attend a public interview and talk given by none other than Albie Sachs. Jenny had seen my finals performance and knew of my interest. For the event, his interlocutor was our mutual friend, Simon Fanshawe and as a consequence of Simon's long standing friendship with Albie (which |I knew nothing of), we were able to meet and talk to the great man. It is said that you should never meet your heroes as they are likely to be a disappointment. I certainly was not disappointed when I met Albie Sachs. He spoke with such authority and compassion and honesty; he was also funny and friendly and even signed my battered copy of the play and was intrigued and amused that I'd actually played him and spent time trying to 'get inside his head' in order to do so.

In 1988, the South African Secret Police had tried to assassinate Albie by planting a bomb in his car - he lost part of his right arm and the sight of an eye in the explosion and when he talked about meeting the man who had planted the bomb, who had subsequently sought him out to ask for his forgiveness, most of us were moved to tears. He also spoke incredibly movingly of his time in detention and described the lasting image he has of being beaten and looking down to see a ring of shoes around him, the shoes of the men who were torturing him.

As the evening drew to a close and I thanked him again for signing my play script, he embraced me and wished me well.

Quite a night.

To find out more about this remarkable man, click this link:

Albie Sachs: Wikipedia

 _______________________________________________________________

Changing the mood somewhat, here's some artwork which relates to the current Lost Stories releases, beginning, for me, with last month's The Elite and continuing with next month's The Children of Seth:

Just in case anyone would like a signed copy of The Elite, a very limited number are available via tenthplanetevents

October update: Counter Measures

...and finally, all can now be revealed about the new Big Finish series!

In this first box-set of Counter Measures, scheduled for release in July 2012, I'm involved in all four episodes, details of which will no doubt appear next year sometime. The rest of this update is taken directly from BF:

July 2012 will see the launch of a brand new Doctor Who audio spin-off from Big Finish Productions, in the shape of Counter-Measures.

The first series box set reunites Simon Williams as Captain Gilmore, Pamela Salem as Rachel Jensen and Karen Gledhill as Allison; characters that were all created by Ben Aaronovitch for the TV story Remembrance of the Daleks in 1988.

Counter-Measures is set in 1964 some months after the events of Remembrance, as the government commissions a specialist group to investigate unexplained phenomena and dangerous new technology.


Joining the lead cast is Hugh Ross (The Palace, Sea of Souls) as Toby Kinsella, Counter-Measures’ liaison with Whitehall, who will become embroiled in their missions. Alastair Mackenzie (Monarch of the Glen) also appears as Julian St Stephen, Allison’s boyfriend of five years.

The box set is now available to pre-order at a special discount

(valid until the release date)

on CD and download

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:

A staged reading of Blood Relations

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?

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.

The 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...

David Croft

Tuesday 27th September:

I couldn't let the day end without mentioning David Croft, who sadly passed away earlier today. I worked with David on two series' of 'Allo,Allo!, one of a number of hugely successful comedy shows that he wrote, directed and produced for the BBC over many years; shows which have become part of the fabric and culture of the nation, especially perhaps, Dad's Army, which he created with Jimmy Perry.

I can't claim to have known David well and I'm sure many other people will write much more about him in the days to come. What I can say, is that he was always immensely kind to me, very generous with his time and in sharing his vast experience in comedy.

Our first meeting was at the read through for my first studio episode, having previously worked only on location with another director, Susan Belbin. The call was for 11.30 am and I arrived at the studio at 9.30 so that I knew exactly where I needed to be. I wanted to arrive at the huge table already set up in the middle of the cavernous sound stage with a few minutes to spare, so that in my trepidation, I didn't have to meet the cast of very well known actors and be too nervous to function. At 11.25 I breezed into the room only to find the table fully occupied and David Croft reading in my lines. The call was not 11.30 as I had been informed, but 11 o'clock - what a great start!

Of course, I apologised profusely to everyone at the end of the reading and tried to explain that I'd been there for hours 'killing time'. David just smiled and said something comforting and it was never mentioned again. Others in his position might have fired me on the spot.

I remember once sitting with him in the BBC canteen at TV Centre, having a bite to eat, before recording sections of the programme in front of a live Friday night audience. I was telling him how much I loved Dad's Army and he was kind enough to talk to me about it and pass on a few anecdotes about some of the cast members - perhaps you can imagine how I felt at the time.

Knowing of my keen interest in how things were done in tv comedy, he would invite me into the director's gallery to watch him direct the show, cutting between five cameras on the studio floor and having the generosity and patience to explain to me what he was doing. There I would be, in make-up and costume as Corporal Caponi, watching him and the crew, waiting to go down to do my bit..

Such knowledge and insight gave me a better idea of what I needed to be doing as an actor. He would also sometimes invite me to look through the camera lens so that I could see how a shot was being framed, giving me a better understanding of how to play the scene. One day, we were filming in Nouvion Town Square at Elstree Studios and David gave me a note: he said that in the shot we had just rehearsed, if I were to stand with my weight 'on the other leg', it would be funnier. I did - and it was. That was the only acting note he ever gave me, apart from suggesting that I shouldn't learn my lines too well because the show was like a 'a soufflé' and should feel light and fresh. He would often go with a first take, even if there were a few mistakes, rather than lose the 'spontaneity' of it.


In his calm, quiet way, he taught me a huge amount and I shall remember him always with great affection and respect. In my opinion, he was a genius, who created some of the best loved television comedy this country has ever produced. It was a great privilege and an absolute pleasure to have known and worked with him.

                                                                You have been watching...    


                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      ...David Croft.       

Vixens From The Void

Now that Nev Fountain's brilliant trilogy of novels, Geek Tragedy, DVD Extras Include: Murder
& Cursed Among Sequels are available in paperback, I think it's an appropriate time to post the first episode of his complimentary series of pod-casts, released under the collective title, Vixens From The Void.

I hope you enjoy listening to this recording, the series was great fun to do. The novels are brilliantly original, engaging and funny; so much so, that I've just started reading them again.

 

In the pod-casts, I'm playing Mervyn Stone & Laurence Warwick and Nicola Bryant is playing Vanity Mycroft & Sally Pride; Nick Briggs is narrating.

There's much more at Mervyn's official website:  Mervyn Stone 

September 2011

Following quickly on the heels of last month's update, September is upon us and there's a new  
Doctor Who release to mention:

The Doomsday Quatrain

Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor),
David Schofield (Nostradamus/Conclave Leader), John Banks (Brors/
Captain of the Guard/Bernardo),  
Caroline Keiff (Garilund/Computer Voice),
Derek Carlyle (Kren/Second Nuncio),  
Nicholas Chambers (Larrett/Milo/First Nuncio)

"When the river is gone, ships shall sail in the sky, monsters bring fire from the heavens. All will fall into a grey and endless sea, and Doomsday has come."

Florence, the sixteenth century. No one thought to pay much attention to the prophecies of the so-called seer Michel de Nostradame,

 otherwise known as Nostradamus. Until the canals of Venice dried. Until the soothsayer's sayings started coming true…

Because Master Nostradamus is right, in all respects. The end of the world is nigh. The ships are coming. The monsters are coming. The fire is coming. There's only one thing he didn’t see coming, in fact: the sudden apparition of a certain strange Doctor, in his even stranger TARDIS. Today, the Earth dies screaming. And all the Doctor can do is watch.

 

I'm back in the studio tomorrow evening (Michael Shanks is on Vancouver time) to continue working on the Stargate SG-1 series, which began in early June. Should be interesting...  

Update: 8th September:  ...and indeed it was interesting! Arriving at the studio, I was slightly surprised to be given scripts for two episodes of SG-1 which I'd never seen and hadn't prepared for - at least it helped to keep things fresh and spontaneous!

The delay on the line between London and Vancouver was a bit of a lark; that aside, I had ten characters to play - some of them human - and had great fun giving it 'the beans' opposite
Michael Shanks, who played Dr. Daniel Jackson.

Update: 20th September. Two more episodes 'in the can' and no delay on the line this time. By coincidence, I still had ten characters to play although, as I had previously worked on and recorded both scripts, I had a bit more of an idea of who was who and what the stories were about. Here's a tweet from producer Paul Spragg:    

'Second day with Michael Shanks and we're on episode four. Some disturbingly good chemistry with John Banks as he fills in as Vala...'

I'm sure I don't know what he means. Two more episodes left to record.

Next week I'm working on a project for Big Finish which is ultra top secret - at least for now! More anon...

August - update:

In the previous August posting, I mentioned the recording of another Doctor Who audio drama, promising to follow up with more details. And here they are: as soon as I knew this particular project was going to happen, I felt excited and nervous in equal measure - perhaps you can understand why...

The reason for my eager anticipation of working on these stories was in no small part due to the fact that two of  my 'new' colleagues were to include:

 

Tom Baker as The Doctor and 

Louise Jemeson as Leela.

We recorded two stories,

Trail of The White Worm. 
and another, details of  which are to be announced at a future date.

In the meantime, a huge 'thank you' to Tom and Louise for being so welcoming and friendly and for being so easy to work with. It's quite something to be in a small recording studio with such iconic performers - definitely an 'is this really happening?' kind of moment. There have been quite a few such moments during my time with BF, working with some amazing and wonderful actors, but I'm sure any Doctor Who fan will appreciate why this was such a special occasion.

As ever, the cast and production crew were fantastic and, when details are announced, I'm sure you'll understand even more clearly, why I feel so privileged to have been involved.

Also of course, great thanks are due to director Ken Bentley, whose consummate skill and generosity are an inspiration and delight - 

'Things won are done, joy's soul lies in the doing.'  *  

There's more to talk about next month from BF, with the release of a Doctor Who story I'm particularly looking forward to, The Doomsday Quatrain, which stars Sylvester McCoy and David Schofield.

More anon....


* Troilus and Cressida

August 2011

A very early post on the first day of the month, primarily because my first solo audio-book,  

The Madness Within, is released from The Games Workshop on the 4th.

I'm looking forward to hearing it and hoping that my errors aren't too glaring.

Desperate and isolated, Sergeant Estabann and Brother Cordoba of the Crimson Fists Space Marines are hunting the daemon that destroyed their battle-brothers. Their only hope remains with a Librarian on the edge of sanity, a potentially tainted Astartes who they are forced to trust. His psychic abilities can lead them to the daemon, where Estabann and Cordoba can avenge their brothers’ deaths. But is the greatest threat a foul denizen of the warp, or the power contained within a psyker’s mind?

Click this Black Library link to listen to an extract:  The Madness Within

or on this embedded link via Soundcloud:

Online reviews & comments:

'John Banks takes up the narrative duties this time round and shows us all why he’s pretty much got this Black Library audio book gig sewn up. Banks’ delivery captures the bleakness of the setting and the steadfast determination of the Marines who inhabit it. He also very much captures the urgency of Lyon’s plot and proves to be more than adept at moving with the plot’s natural ebb and flow.'  


‘The Madness Within’ is an urgently paced tale full of surprises and Space Marines doing what they do best (attacking stuff with dirty great chain swords and exhorting each other to further acts of courage). The atmosphere draws you in, the plot and interaction between characters makes sure that you stay.'

Graeme Flory

                                                        

'Working alongside Steve Lyons, we have John Banks, who brings the audio drama to life, and adds to the grim, dark and bleak setting of the monastery in the recruiting world...'

'Lyons and Banks manage to keep you listening and away from the pause button on your IPod'

                                                                                                                                    The Founding Fields

'What I liked about this audio drama in particular was the atmosphere it created with its use of sound effect and masterful voice acting.'                                                                                                                                Frost

 'I really liked this audio drama and go so far as to say that, together with Helion Rain, it is the best one the Black Library has published as of now. I really like the audio performance of John Banks.'

'I look forward to hearing more from John Banks in the future.'   

'one of the best audio dramas!'                                        Rated 5 out of 5 by Valorus

'...you have to acknowledge the skilled reading of John Banks who brings it to life...Great stuff!'

                                              Gareth Wilson  Falcata Times

'... the production values on display here are superb, from bolter fire, to daemonic howls to the Librarian’s spells, everything sounds right and accompanies the superb narration and voice acting to create the perfect atmosphere for the story.'

 

   Cover Artwork by  Hardy Fowler     

 'A truly bitchin' audio drama! Awesome!'