Review Archive
John Smythe has trained and worked professionally in New Zealand, Australia then back in New Zealand as a playwright, director, screenwriter (& screenwriting teacher), actor, theatre critic and book writer.
His formal qualifications include a Bachelor of Dramatic Art from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (Sydney) and a Certificate in Screenwriting from the Australian Film Television and Radio School. He has also completed honours papers and a range of script writing courses.
Theatre directing credits in Australia include plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, and Gorki, and world premieres of plays by himself, Len Radic, David Williamson, Louis Esson, Katharine Susannah Prichard, Jack Hibberd and David O’Brien. Back in NZ he directed his own trilogy of short plays – ENTRANCING EXITS: Ms Conception; Nothing Twisted; Used Heads, at Bats Theatre, Wellington International Festival of the Arts; Faulty (sic) Towers & Blackadder’s Banquet at the Museum Hotel.
Playwright credits include Entrancing Exits (BATS Theatre), Conundra (Ensemble Productions), Swaggy Mack and his Magic Back Track (Arena Theatre), The Seven Stages of Hugh Mann (Melbourne University Theatre), Party Games (Jane St Theatre; La Mama) and Making A Play (Melbourne Theatre Company; Central Theatre), Where There’s a Will (BATS Theatre). Unproduced plays include Thelma, Weather and The Virtues of Reality.
John has also written The Peace Monster (Vintage, 1991); Downstage Upfront: the first 40 years of New Zealand’s longest-running professional theatre (Victoria University Press, November 2004) and The Plays of Bruce Mason – a survey (VUP & Playmarket, November 2015).
Amid a wide range of acting roles on stage, television and film, John has played Polonius and the Gravedigger in Hamlet twice (2006 and 2011). In 2012 and with Arts On Tour NZ in 2013 he played James Joyce, Samuel Beckett and Carl Jung in Jan Bolwell’s Dancing in the Wake. In 2015 he played Barry Scanlan in his own play, Where There’s a Will, at BATS Theatre. (Since 2000 he has also played Birdboot in an annual VUW English Dept reading of Stoppard’s The Real Inspector Hound.)
Before becoming the founding Managing Editor of Theatreview.org.nz in 2006, John was a theatre critic for The Melbourne Times, The Australian, Theatre Australia Magazine, The National Business Review.
Welcome to the review archive.
Theatre and dance reviews since 2006.
IN SEARCH OF DINOZORD
Wellington
27/02/2020 - 29/02/2020
"A brave move by festival..
"Responds to atrocity with a creation that reflects man’s inhumanity to man yet gives us hope by its very existence..
القدس JERUSALEM
Wellington
22/02/2020 - 23/02/2020
"Disparate elements come together in a plea for peace..
"Many elements linger..
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
Wellington
13/02/2020 - 29/02/2020
"Sets a new high bar for Wellington’s Summer Shakespeare..
"Highly recommended..
More reviews
THE SWING
Wellington
07/02/2020 - 18/11/2023
"Made with a heart-melting level of care..
"A carefully considered and expertly crafted experience that has real potential to be an instigator of change..
More reviews
HUSH
Wellington
04/02/2020 - 08/02/2020
"Encourages us to hush no more..
EXES
Wellington
28/01/2020 - 01/02/2020
"Insight and humanity amid the comedy..
UMA LAVA
Wellington
23/11/2019 - 07/12/2019
"Hell is the inability to relate humanely to other people..
A BOY CALLED PIANO
Wellington, Dunedin, Oamaru, Christchurch
22/11/2019 - 22/10/2022
"Offering voices to the voiceless..
"One of the great Kiwi theatre productions of our time..
More reviews
WELCOME TO THE DEATH CAFÉ
Wellington
19/11/2019 - 23/11/2019
"Leaves us with plenty to think about..
ALICE IN WONDERLAND The Pantomime
Wellington
16/11/2019 - 11/01/2020
"Great panto fun for all the family..
"Memorable fun for all..
BREAKS
Wellington
14/11/2019 - 18/11/2019
"Stands proud in the LCYT lexicon..
RANSOM
Wellington
01/11/2019 - 16/11/2019
"Values Held Hostage..
"Enrols us in a timely enquiry into the nature of contemporary politics..
REGRETS
Wellington
15/10/2019 - 16/10/2019
"Well-structured scenarios reward our investments..
UNLOCKED
Wellington
16/10/2019 - 16/10/2019
"Less would be more..
COCK
Wellington
12/10/2019 - 09/11/2019
"No Exit..
"Witty and intense: powerful theatre..
More reviews
WITI’S WĀHINE
Gisborne, Wellington
05/10/2019 - 13/06/2021
"Illuminating the grace, strength, elegance and eloquence of Mana Wāhine..
"A truly special night..
More reviews
THE NED NIAMH SHOW
Wellington
01/10/2019 - 05/10/2019
"Light yet enlightening and satirically humane..
HARLEQUEEN
Christchurch, Wellington, Dunedin
01/03/2019 - 07/11/2020
"Celebrates transgressive female fools – and shocks us..
"Howells of laughter..
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HE KURA KŌRERO The Gift of Speech
Wellington
01/10/2019 - 12/10/2019
"Interesting, funny and positive..
"Flair, fun and focus..
THE PIED PIPER
Wellington
28/09/2019 - 11/10/2019
"Everyone’s smiling at the end..
Katie Boyle in THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
Nelson, Dunedin, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington
04/04/2019 - 21/09/2019
"Played with engaging charm and extraordinary equanimity..
"A mammoth effort and a resounding success..
More reviews
PEGGY PICKIT SEES THE FACE OF GOD
Wellington
14/09/2019 - 12/10/2019
"Culture clash play seems out of date..
"Not for the passive observer..
WISE GUY
Wellington
10/09/2019 - 14/09/2019
"An inspired creative force..
"An interesting playwriting debut..
