Project Motor Mouth 2

Just the briefest posting to mention that I'll be at Project Motor Mouth 2 tomorrow with Big Finish.


There are further details via this link: Project Motor Mouth 2 - maybe see you there!

Update - here's a great image from MM2!

Travellers Duty

Recorded in July and released today from Spokenworld Audio:

'Oh my. John Banks' reading of Sarah is perfect. Spokenworld have done such an amazing job.' MPJ Dillon

About The Audio

"When I was a boy there was this old man that used to live in my village. We’d seen him round about, swatting at things that weren’t there and yellin’ at the voices in his head. Us kids, we’d dare each other to go and poke him with a stick, or throw rocks at him. My old granny, she found out what we were doing and she wasn’t mad, she was afraid. Stay away, Samuel, she’d say. Stay away. That man have Duppies in his head."

"What’s a Dobby?"

"Duppy, mon. It’s like a spirit that haunts a man, whispers in his ear. The good ones, they come to you in your dreams, tell you nice things. But the bad ones… they enter through a hole in a man’s heart and steal his soul. What you got left is a madman: bitter and hollow. I tell you, the Tall Man? He’s got some nasty Duppies haunting him."

Connor Alasdair’s parents have never lied to him; they’ve always treated him like an adult and included him in family discussions. So why won’t they tell him about the strange red-haired man who keeps visiting their home? Why is his father lying about the monster in their back garden? And why are both parents so insistent that he stops asking questions?

Yesterday 1990s suburbia held no terror for a 15 year-old boy. Today Connor will discover the magic and horror hidden beneath the surface, and how his ordinary life holds the key to fulfilling an oath sworn fifty years before he was born.

Read By: John Banks

Written By: MPJ Dillon

Produced By: Neil Gardner 

If you'd like to listen to a short extract, please follow this link: TRAVELLERS DUTY

Copyright: Spokenworld Audio/Ladbroke Audio Ltd 

The Avengers

How amazing and what a thrill it is for me to be able to post details of Big Finish's new series
The Avengers: The Lost Episodes. I say that, not only because it's an exciting addition to the BF range of audio drama, but particularly because The Avengers remains one of my absolute favourite television shows - a truly iconic series - and something which, for obvious reasons, I could never imagine having any active involvement with.

My introduction to the television series began with the 'Steed and Mrs Peel' era. The style and quirky originality of The Avengers fired my imagination and as a child, I could hardly believe that the impossibly glamorous Diana Rigg came from Doncaster - like me!

This new Big Finish series goes back to the very beginning and tells the stories which have mostly been lost, indeed wiped, from television history. It features Julian Wadham as John Steed and Anthony Howell as Dr. David Keel.

 














'In 1961 The Avengers burst onto our TV screens, starring Ian Hendry as Dr David Keel and Patrick Macnee as John Steed. It began with a tragedy - and then pitted Keel and Steed against the underworld over the  course of 26 episodes (of which only two episodes still exist in their entirety).


The Avengers - The Lost Episodes recreates the existing scripts on audio with a full cast of actors. Discover, for the first time in over 50 years, the beginnings of a TV legend...'

Steed and Dr Keel return to action in these four recreations of classic lost episodes:

Anthony Howell (Dr Keel), Julian Wadham (John Steed), Lucy Briggs-Owen (Carol Wilson)

1: Hot Snow
Written by Ray Rigby, adapted by John Dorney
Colin Baker (Dr Tredding), Camilla Power (Peggy), Tim Bentinck (Superintendent Wilson), Adrian Lukis (Spicer, Johnson), Phil Mulryne (Big Man), Blake Ritson (Charlie), Anjella Mackintosh (Stella, Mrs Simpson), Kieran Bew (Sergeant Rogers)

2: Brought To Book
Written by Brian Clemens, adapted by John Dorney
Colin Baker (Dr Tredding), Adrian Lukis (Spicer/Vance), Tim Bentinck (Superintendent Wilson), George Rainsford (Pretty Boy), Alan Cox (Mason), Blake Ritson (Prentice)

3: Square Root of Evil
Written by Richard Harris, adapted by John Dorney
Tim Bentinck (The Cardinal), Phil Mulryne (5), Beth Chalmers (Secretary), Alan Cox (Hooper), George Rainsford (Warren), Kieran Bew (Steve), Blake Ritson (Tobert), Sophie Aldred (TBA)

4: TBA
Beth Chalmers (TBA), John Banks (TBA)

Adapted by: John Dorney
Produced by: David Richardson
Directed by: Ken Bentley

I am absolutely delighted to have taken part in this fantastic new series; it was indeed a privilege to work on these stories and I must thank the acting company, script editor John Dorney, producer David Richardson and director Ken Bentley for making the whole thing such a joy.

The four episodes of Volume 1 are scheduled for release in January 2014 - and I really can't wait!

If you'd like to hear a short trailer, follow this link: The Avengers: The Lost Episodes

...muchos titterings

Ah, the baking heat of July... Dog Day Afternoon and all that. Well, as it's a bit quiet at the moment in terms of imminent releases from Big Finish and the contract to appear as an ongoing character in the new Star Wars movies still hasn't materialised, I thought I'd mention a couple of things I have been doing recently. The thing is of course, that although there isn't a lot  I can talk about directly at the moment, an awful lot is actually happening 'behind the scenes', details of which will hopefully come to light before too long.

In the meantime, here's an extract from Neil Gardner's blog at Spokenworld Audio, in which he talks about some of our recent collaborations. Over to you Neil:

27 - 31 May 2013

It was a Bank Holiday start to the week, but as writer Nev Fountain said, there’s no such thing as a ‘Banks Holiday’, as we welcomed fantastic audiobook reader and multi-voice actor JOHN BANKS back to the Croydon studio.  

We spent Monday and Tuesday recording “The Holy Machine” by Chris Beckett for Audible UK. A 294 page sci-fi novel, John set a new record for getting it done in just 2 days!  It is an interesting book, about a dystopian future where there has been a religious revolution across the globe and the only safe place for atheists and scientists is a small island state in the Mediterranean. John had to read as a mixed American/European and perform a whole load of other voices, including Balkan, New Zealand and Wiltshire!



While I had him in the studio I took the chance to record John reading a short SF story that I had written. “The Sound Within” is a free download from Spokenworld Audio right now!



We also recorded a short horror story by top writer DAN ABNETT. This was the 13th and final tale for an audio anthology titled “Thirteen” which has been edited by Scott Harrison, and features stories by the likes of Kim Newman, Cavan Scott, Johnny Mains and others. It will be released very soon via Spokenworld Audio.

                  
As an aside, it seems that I appeared in some repeats of 'Allo, 'Allo! last week on Gold. Loved doing the show, but what a long time ago it all was; in some ways, a curious parallel to 'Vixens From The Void' perhaps... 'muchos titterings' indeed!

Before I wrap up this smorgasbord of wittering, I must mention the opening tonight of Titus Andronicus at the Buxton Festival, performed by Smooth Faced {Gentlemen} and co-directed by my friend Rachel Illingworth, with whom I've just been working on The Blind & The Intruder.

The play runs until Saturday and then has a longer run at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival and a sneaky one-nighter at York Theatre Royal, where I'll probably see it for myself.

Good fortune to all involved in the production - here's a great poster:

And so, to conclude this posting, I just want to mention that I'll be listening to Mary Tamm's last two Dr Who stories later in the week, The Dalek Contract & The Final Phase.

I'll also be remembering the fun we had together, appreciating what a fine actress she was and raising a glass to her in fond memory.

Counter Measures: Series 2

So here we all are, July - whoda thought it? Coming so quickly after June too. Anyway. Don't know about you, but I really enjoyed the first series of Counter Measures, which made its début last July. I love the genre, the milieu (all getting a bit French!) and was thrilled to be a part of it. When the opportunity came up to work on the second series, I naturally jumped at it and have been keenly anticipating its release ever since. And here it is, actually released and delivered before June was out - what a surprise and delight.



Once again, Alex Mallinson has done a superb job with the cover art - the CD sleeves are quite stunning - and I'm looking forward to setting aside some time to listen to each story properly.

The company of actors and writers are as good as they come - anywhere - and producer David Richardson's original idea is in the deeply capable hands of director Ken Bentley - truly a prospect to savour!

The British government has created the Counter-Measures group, a specialist team that investigates strange phenomena and dangerous technology. This box set contains four of their adventures plus a behind-the-scenes documentary.

Manhunt by Matt Fitton
Group Captain Gilmore is on the run for murder; Sir Toby is dealing with his unctuous new assistant, Templeton; and Allison and Rachel are investigating a bizarre series of deaths across the country. A maniac is on the loose, but for Counter-Measures it's business as usual.

The Fifth Citadel by James Goss
People are falling ill near Holborn and displaying a sickness with all the hallmarks of radiation poisoning. While Gilmore and Allison look into a graveyard, Sir Toby and Rachel venture underground to meet an old friend with a desperate scheme.

Peshka by Cavan Scott and Mark Wright
A visit to an international chess tournament isn't quite the relaxing experience the Counter-Measures team might have hoped for. With a defection to arrange and violence erupting on the streets it's time for a dangerous gambit. What pieces will be left on the table when the Endgame approaches?

Sins of the Fathers by John Dorney
When a massacre results from the ruins of an old case, it poses more questions than it answers. But with Sir Toby stonewalling, Gilmore and Rachel are forced to investigate alone. The past is catching up with Counter-Measures. With decades old secrets about to be revealed, can anyone survive the fallout?

Simon Williams Group Captain Gilmore Pamela Salem Rachel Jensen  
Karen Gledhill Allison Williams Hugh Ross Sir Toby Kinsella  
Lucy Fleming Lady Waverly Blake Ritson Captain Astor 

Celia Imrie Dr Elizabeth Bradley Philip Pope Templeton
Gemma Whelan Emma Waverly  Tom Price Father Ellard  

 John Banks Professor Kent - Marcus Fremington - Mr. Ackroyd - The Soldier - Guard - Driver

Directed By: Ken Bentley

...can you hear me at the back?

Hello and welcome.

I've just been looking at details of the three unabridged audio-books I recorded last month with Neil Gardner at Ladbroke Audio and listening to the samples provided on the Audible web site.



Should you wish to do the same, here's a link: Audible: Audio-Books narrated by John Banks

                                     

   Length: 3 hrs and 56 mins                       Length: 15 hrs and 21 mins                 Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins  
   Release Date: 11/06/2013                      Release Date: 20/06/2013                   Release Date: 30/06/2013                              

If you decide to download any, or all of these stories, I hope you'll enjoy listening to them as much as I enjoyed recording them.

I must also say a big 'thank you' to David Richardson, Barnaby Edwards and Neil Gardner for their trust, generosity and unfailing support in making these recordings possible.

  

 Ladbroke Audio

...so now what?

...good question!

I think it fair to say that when asked to respond in an interview, I like to give a full answer. There's many a time, during the recording of a Big Finish interview for example, when the batteries have expired on the portable gizmo being used to capture my every thought; or when the interviewer, usually Mr David Richardson, has nodded off, having asked something complicated like "so who are you and what are you playing in this story?".

At some time in the not too distant future, it may be that an interview conducted this morning with Benjamin Maio Mackay for The Preachrs Podcast, will be released to an unsuspecting tranche of Dr Who fans, whose eardrums, if not life expectancy, will be severely compromised by the responses I've given to a series of seemingly straightforward and innocuous questions. I've listened to other people being interviewed by Benjamin; Dan Starkey, Sophie Aldred and Nev Fountain for example, whose answers and observations have been succinct, apposite, witty, charming, informative ...and succinct!


Not only did I ramble on for ages, I'm now also wondering if anything I said might be actionable in a court of law.

"Q: do you like baked beans? A: yes/no", not " let me tell you about the history of the baked bean since it gained popularity in early Sumerian culture...".

He'll have to cut it, he'll have to cut it; no server in the world could cope with the pressure of downloading such an interview... and why did I start talking about Tom Cruise? Why?

As if that weren't enough, I've just joined the Tweetersphere. Does that make me one of the Tweeterati or the Tweeterscenti or just a bit of a Tweet?

Answers on a post card please...

The Axeman hath been released !

As the mayhem of May subsides into contemplative idleness and the company cold, inevitably shared by most of us in The Blind & The Intruder, finally succumbs to its equally inevitable demise - Mervyn's first audio adventure has been released from Big Finish and I'm listening to it now as I write...

 

Pretty much all the details of The Axeman Cometh have appeared in previous posts, so there's not much to add other than to express the hope that I haven't screwed it up too blatantly, that it will be well received and that there might be further stories to come - we shall see!

Online reviews & comments:

'Mervyn Stone ...played by the note-perfect John Banks'.
                                                                                                  Matt Hills: Reviews in Time and Space 

'...an audio-play, featuring a full-cast of characters played by two actors, John Banks and Nicola Bryant.  
~ I’m pretty sure that if I hadn’t known in advance that it was only two actors, I probably wouldn’t have spotted it.'

'The Axeman Cometh is the best murder mystery that I have seen, read or heard for absolutely ages.'

'Not just Highly Recommended, this is a masterpiece of crime drama. Spread the word!'

                                                                                                     The Puzzle Doctor


'If you love a murder mystery mixed with comedy, this is the release for you.'

'...an hour of audio that must - PLEASE - be the start of a new series...'

                                                                                                      Rated 10/10 by jolyon: The Time Scales

This update from BF:

Out now is the latest of The Mervyn Stone Adventures - and after three murder mysteries in book form (which you can get now in our books special offer), he's finally appearing on audio in The Mervyn Stone Mysteries: The Axeman Cometh.

Hear former Vixens from the Void script editor and sort-of detective Mervyn Stone come to life before your very ears! The exceptionally talented team of Big Finish veteran John Banks and former Doctor Who companion Nicola Bryant play Mervyn Stone and Vanity Mycroft - and a raft of other characters - in The Mervyn Stone Mysteries: The Axeman Cometh. There's even a rather special guest voice...

Another wittily written thriller from the pen of Nev Fountain, The Axeman Cometh sees Mervyn called to the Sounderama Studios to prevent a murder... but will he be in time?

And if you'd like more Mervyn Stone (or want some background before listening to his latest adventure), the seven Mervyn Stone podcasts have been retrieved and put back on the Big Finish website.

 Just click here and you'll find all the instalments.

If you'd like to know more about how Mervyn Stone came into being and how the character made the transition from literature to audio-drama, here's a link to Mass Movement Magazine Issue 35 which carries an extended interview with Nev, Nicola and me: Mass Movement Magazine

Written By: Nev Fountain
Directed By: Patric Kearns

with

John Banks as Mervyn Stone & Nicola Bryant as Vanity Mycroft.

The Mervyn Stone Mysteries

This year really is flying by and May was an exceptionally busy month which involved recording three audio books for Audible.co.uk, a first for me, a couple of short stories for Ladbroke Audio, a new Dr Who adventure and rehearsing and performing two short plays, The Blind & The Intruder for Tarquin Productions, which have their final performances tonight.

The company have been incredibly supportive and very welcoming of me and I'm deeply grateful to them and director Benji Sperring for trusting me and going along with my interpretation of the roles, which I'm playing quite differently to the original actor, who, as I've previously mentioned, wasn't available for the transfer to The Tabard Theatre.

Thanks to all involved, cast members Judy Tcherniak, Rupert Baldwin, Helena Payne, Saskia Roddick, Darren Beaumont, Michael Fellows and Gina Abolins and to the fabulous Kristina Kreculj, Production Assistant at The Tabard.

Benji Sperring directed with a firm grip and a light touch - always a good combination! - and Rachel Illingworth, as assistant director, the person who got me involved in the production in the first place, proved her abilities once again and is definitely someone to keep an eye on. In fact, she already has a new production playing at The Brackley Jack Studio Theatre which opened last week to excellent notices - Mandrake by Niccolo Machiavelli and is currently rehearsing Titus Andronicus for the Smooth Faced Gentlemen company, which is to be performed at the Buxton Festival and the Edinburgh Festival.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Again, as previously mentioned, this month sees the release of the first Mervyn Stone Mystery, which I'm incredibly excited about. With the amazingly talented and original Nev Fountain as writer and creator of Mervyn Stone and the fantastic Nicola Bryant as my partner in crime, I feel honoured to be involved in the project and hope that it proves popular with Big Finish fans and anyone else who enjoys a beautifully crafted comedy-crime caper.

Here are the details from Big Finish:

"Dear Mervyn. If you want to prevent a murder, then you must attend the recording at the Sounderama studios on Thursday.

 Signed: a friend."

Vixens from the Void is back!

After twenty-five years, the popular leather-clad astro-erotic sci-fi television show is returning!

Well, sort of.  Actually, some devoted Vixens fans have got the licence to do some audios on CD featuring the original cast, and they've invited Mervyn Stone to write an episode.

But that's not the only thing he's been invited to do. He's also been invited to solve a murder.

He arrives at the studio, and who should he find recording her autobiography in the very next booth? Only the TV boss who cancelled Vixens from the Void twenty-five years ago.

No prizes for guessing the murder victim...

Written By: Nev Fountain
Directed By: Patric Kearns

with

John Banks as Mervyn Stone & Nicola Bryant as Vanity Mycroft.

" John Banks is a voice genius; that’s why he’s done five billion audios for them, (Big Finish) and now this is his chance to go centre stage."

Nev Fountain

* * * * * * * * * * *

Before wrapping up this post, I do want to briefly mention another Big Finish release this month, The Dalek Contract featuring dear Mary Tamm, who very sadly passed away almost a year ago. Although uncredited, I did quite a bit of work on this story and indeed on her final story, The Final Phase (released in July). Even though we only worked together a handful of times and have never been credited as working together, Mary made a lasting impression on me, both professionally and personally and I think of her often and remember how well we got on and what fun it was to be around her. Having heard all of her final series of Dr Who recordings, I look forward to listening to The Dalek Contract and The Final Phase and will no doubt be raising a glass or two in her honour.

Old enemies, new adventures...

Oh, such excitements to come! Although I'm currently feeling a bit buried by work - in a good way - I've decided to take a quick break from the mountain of line learning I have left to do for next week's opening of The Blind and The Intruder, so that I can post this 'teaser' information about a Dr Who audio recorded last July, The King of Sontar. I remember this as being a thoroughly enjoyable project with a great script, a wonderful cast and lots of laughs in the 'green room'. We did actually do some work believe it or not and I'm keenly looking forward to hearing the finished story.

This is my third Sontaran adventure and second with the fantastic Dan Starkey, who, for me and many others, is the definitive Sontaran voice; it's a great thrill to hear his voice in the studio through the headphones and always brings a huge grin to my face - which isn't always appropriate of course. I think it comes from a sense that with Dan on board in full Sontaran mode, we're onto a winner and that's always a good feeling.

And so, without further preamble, this is what Big Finish have said about The King of Sontar:

They're back! The Sontarans return for the first release in our third series of full cast audiobook adventures starring Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor - and here's the cover!

Dowcra base. The third Elite Sontaran Assassination Squad closes in on its target. A dozen trained killers, but even they will be unable to bring down the invincible Strang…

Manipulated by the Time Lords, the TARDIS also arrives on Dowcra. And the Doctor is set to encounter the greatest Sontaran ever cloned...


Doctor Who: The King of Sontar leads the third series of Fourth Doctor Adventures, starring Tom Baker as the Doctor (on screen 1974-1981) and Louise Jameson as Leela, his TV companion back in 1977 and 1978.

The pair are joined by a cracking cast for the story, including Sapphire & Steel alumnus David Collings, David Seddon, Jenny Funnell, legendary Big Finish stalwart John Banks and, of course, the wonderful Dan Starkey, TV and audio Sontaran extraordinaire, as the regal Strang.

Written By: John Dorney

Directed By: Nicholas Briggs

The King of Sontar is scheduled for release in January 2014 

* * * * * * * * * * *

I mentioned above that there were 'excitements to come' and indeed there are! As well as everything else going on at the moment, I'm also currently recording a fascinating Dr Who story with a truly brilliant cast and had a wonderful day in the studio yesterday working with a couple of genuine Dr Who legends. Recording concludes on Monday when I'll be working with yet another legendary actor and star of classic tv Dr Who - such a privilege!

But even that isn't main source of my excitement. Unfortunately, I'm not able to reveal more at the moment although I hope you'll believe me when I say there are some amazing things to come - "such stuff as dreams are made on"...

However, for the moment...

 " Our revels now are ended. 

These our actors, 

As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air:"

I must also now melt away and get back to learning lines!

Maeterlinck: The Blind and The Intruder - Transfer

... a sunny and reasonably tranquil afternoon in May. I say 'reasonably tranquil' as the first hint of sunshine here in deepest Surrey, tends to bring out a desire in certain people to play with a seemingly endless variety of power tools - the gentle twitter of bird song doesn't stand a chance!

I'm taking a sneaky break from cold learning a shed load of lines for The Blind & The Intruder, mentioned previously on this web site, but in the context of other people taking part. If you've read the reviews I posted, you'll know that the overall production generated a very positive response from critics - The Guardian's Michael Billington was even moved to send out an enthusiastic 'tweet' about it. All this being the case, the two plays have been invited to extend their run by transferring to The Tabard Theatre in West London ( link: Tabard Theatre ).

One of the original cast members is unavailable for the transfer and I have accepted the challenge of taking over from him for the rest of the run.


Now, I like a challenge as much as the next enthusiastic actor and it's good to get out of one's comfort zone from time to time. When I first started acting in London Fringe Theatre at the beginning of my career several decades ago, I acquired a bit of a reputation for being able to pick up the reins of a show pretty quickly and learn the lines super fast. This brought me lots of work and some invaluable experience; however, it's been a while since I've had to assimilate so much in such a relatively short time and I think it fair to say that I've well and truly left anything that might be described as my 'comfort zone'!

Tarquin Productions in association with the Tabard Theatre presents:

THE BLIND & THE INTRUDER
by Maurice Maeterlinck

Two plays. Two views of the world.
One terrifying subject: the blindness of humankind to the
mysteries of our existence.

Following a sell out and critically acclaimed run at the Old Red Lion Theatre in Islington, The Blind & The Intruder transfers to the Tabard Theatre for a limited two week run prior to a national tour.

“A fascinating collector's item... you can detect the influence on
the work of Beckett.”
Michael Billington - The Guardian

THE BLIND places us amongst a group of blind people in a wasteland, abandoned by their guide, searching for any clues to their whereabouts. Lost, lonely and scared, they are prepared to put their faith in anyone - or anything - that may help them, even if they cannot see the consequences of their actions.

THE INTRUDER follows a household in crisis. As the Mother lies ill after childbirth and the family sit waiting for any news, the blind Grandfather hears a presence amongst them that none of the family can see. As the presence becomes more noticeable, are there greater forces at work than merely an old man's imagination?
 

Maurice Maeterlinck's 1911 Nobel laureateship cited THE BLIND and THE INTRUDER as two of his seminal works. A proponent of the Symbolist movement, with an unprecedented awareness of the human condition enveloped in a black sense of humour, Maeterlinck's simple but effective style of writing is rarely performed in the UK.

Directed by Benji Sperring & Rachel Illingworth

@Tarquin_UK

As well as that, I've also got a couple of Dr Who stories to work on for Big Finish later this month and some other things which will take up the few seconds of time I might have left over. I keep telling myself that it's good to be busy, goodness knows, I moan about being not busy, however, I 'm just hoping that I haven't bitten off more than I can chew...

The Ordeals of Sherlock Holmes

Breaking news on the release of a new series of Sherlock Holmes adventures. Here are the details from Big Finish:

Upcoming box set The Ordeals of Sherlock Holmes is now available for pre-order - at a special low price! It once more stars Nicholas Briggs as Holmes and Richard Earl as Watson in four 
intricately crafted tales covering the whole of Holmes' life...

The next set of adventures for Sherlock Holmes and
the trusty Dr Watson form a brand new four-disc box set, available in December. Titled The Ordeals of Sherlock Holmes and written by Jonathan Barnes, novelist and writer of previous Holmes adventure The Perfidious Mariner, it follows the great detective through time as he faces some of his toughest challenges, biggest cases and greatest losses.

It stars Nicholas Briggs and Richard Earl once more as the enemies of all wrongdoers Holmes and Watson, ably supported by a fantastic cast including Tracey Childs (our very own Klein, and recently seen in Broadchurch), Blake Ritson (currently to be spotted in Da Vinci's Demons), Michael Cochrane (Doctor Who's Ghost Light and recently heard in our Fourth Doctor Adventures), Ken Bones (The Hour) and the legendary John Banks ('Allo 'Allo alumnus and Big Finish voice maestro).

The Ordeals of Sherlock Holmes is scheduled for release in December 2013.

...would you like ice with that?

Last weekend's episode of Dr Who, Cold War, really got me thinking. The story featured The Ice Warriors, or in this case, a lone Ice Warrior called Skaldak, voiced by the brilliant Nick Briggs of BF fame.

To coincide with the television broadcast, Big Finish ran a promotion on the various Ice Warrior stories they had produced, including Thin Ice, which I'd worked on with Sylvester, Sophie Aldred, Beth Chalmers and the rest of the company.

What got me thinking was the hazy memory of having played an Ice Warrior in Thin Ice, as well as two named characters and a couple of uncredited minor characters. After much rummaging through scripts and scrutinising the CD recording, it finally came to light; I hadn't dreamed the whole thing up and had in fact played Sslork! Joy!




If nothing else, I am relieved that it wasn't all a figment of my imagination! Nick Briggs played the principal Ice Warrior, Hhessh and Nigel Lambert played Glarva - phew!

What I remember much more clearly is having had the enormous thrill and honour of actually playing a Dalek in a story released not very long ago and getting to say the immortal line "I am a Dalek", which as a schoolboy in the mid sixties, gave me and my mates many a sore throat, as we tried to 'out Dalek' each other in the playground.

Of course, recanting anecdotes of recordings past, also gives me a great excuse to post a bit of relevant Ice Warrior and Dalek artwork!





The audio clip included in this post is something I've put together for The Spotlight, the UK's leading Casting Directory, which almost all actors are a member of. Five minutes is the upper limit, which is quite a lot to wade through if you're listening to a voice with a professional ear for casting purposes. I'm sure no-one will listen to the whole thing, but at least there's a reasonable selection of untreated character voices to fast forward through! If you do have a listen, maybe you'll recognise where some of these clips originate?

April 2013 - ScripTease

Once again, I'm delighted to be taking part in another 'Scriptease' rehearsed reading event in Guildford with Lynchpin Productions. All the relevant information should be included in the 'e-flyers' above and below.

The Electric Theatre Café Bar

with John Banks, Edie Campbell, Oliver Church, Joy Collins, David Helmy 

and Andrew Hodson

Have you ever read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

Ariticle 1:  We are all born free and equal. We all have our own thoughts and ideas. We should all be treated in the same way.*

In our 6th colaboration with Amnesty International Guildford Group, we are taking the Thirty Articles of the Universal Delcaration of Human Rights, written and adopted by the United Naitons in 1948, as the frame for this evening's rehearsed readings.  

Article 10:  If somone is accused of breaking the law, they have the right to a fair and public trial.*

Come and hear the stories and poems of international writers as we focus on the 'successes' when the human spirit endures and prevails against all odds. 

Article 29: We have a duty to other people, and we should protecct their rights and freedoms.*  

*Taken from the simplified version by Amnesty International. For full version see http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

MONDAY 22 April   7:45pm   

£6,  £5 concession

prebook tickets on 07913 289 360

Do come along!

Dr Who: Short Trips

In some ways, I ought to apologise for posting the two audio clips below, primarily because they are only available in their entirety to Big Finish subscribers and might therefore be regarded as a tease too far. My excuse is that I've only just heard them myself and the combination of anticipation and relief has brought me to the point of wanting to 'share'...

Sometime last summer, Big Finish asked if I'd like to record a collection of Dr Who: Short Trips. The stories featured two Doctors, a variety of their respective Companions and a few other characters thrown in for good measure - along with the narration of course.

Having been asked, I felt flattered - indeed honoured - excited and, not least, a bit terrified! But thanks to the tremendous support of Producer David Richardson and Director Ken Bentley, recording went very well and our time together in the studio was great fun.

To date, two of the stories have been released as audio downloads, Only Connect by Andy Lane and Breadcrumbs by James Moran.

Tricky to select extracts without giving too much away or spoiling the story, but here goes:



If you are a BF subscriber, perhaps you've already listened to the stories, in which case, I very much hope you enjoyed them.

Only Connect and Breadcrumbs are exclusively available to Big Finish subscribers, so the saying is true:

 “ Subscribers get more at Big Finish!”