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.
WHO’S RUNNING THE SHOW ANYWAY?
Wellington
06/03/2018 - 10/03/2018
"Exemplary improv..
HEADLINERS vs The HEADLINES
Wellington
20/02/2018 - 06/03/2018
"More concept development required..
MY BEST DEAD FRIEND
Auckland, Wellington, Wanaka, Kerikeri, Invercargill, Dunedin, Nelson
12/07/2017 - 02/05/2019
"Simply lovely to watch..
"Chalk one up to talk and a wake..
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KA TITO AU Kupe’s Heroic Journey
Wellington
24/02/2018 - 04/03/2018
"May it have the long life it deserves..
Jon Bennett HOW I LEARNED TO HUG
Wellington
02/03/2018 - 05/03/2018
"Endearing, shocking and heart-warming..
THE BORDER
Wellington
02/03/2018 - 05/03/2018
"Confusion achieved..
PARDON ME ALAN TURING
Auckland, Wellington
21/02/2017 - 04/03/2018
"Offers an absorbing perspective on a shameful past and perplexing present..
"Reflecting the space that remains between intention and resolution..
BLESS THE CHILD
Wellington
28/02/2018 - 04/03/2018
"A potent and insightful korero..
ROMEOJULIET@TWILIGHT
Lower Hutt
28/02/2018 - 03/03/2018
"Both absorbing and troubling..
THE SELECT The Sun Also Rises
Wellington
24/02/2018 - 01/03/2018
"A play of one third and two thirds..
KUPE Festival Opening Night
Wellington
23/02/2018 - 23/02/2018
"Falls short of delivering the promised spectacle..
JOAN
Wellington, Auckland
20/01/2018 - 24/02/2019
"In the Light of Day..
"Leaves you entertained and moved and perhaps thankful..
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PERFORMING DRAMATURGY
Global
15/01/2018 - 15/04/2018
"Prepare to be unsettled..
THE CHRISTMAS DETENTION CENTRE
Wellington
12/12/2017 - 16/12/2017
"Highly entertaining and richly textured..
CHRISTMAS ACTUALLY!
Wellington
12/12/2017 - 16/12/2017
"Ideal for a staff social-club Christmas outing?..
QUESTION TIME BLUES
Wellington
07/12/2017 - 03/02/2018
"May confirm your suspicions, reveal new insights and/or alter your perception of politics and politicians..
TAKING THE HIGH GROUND
Wellington
05/12/2017 - 09/12/2017
"Women on Top..
"Elevated history is dramatically dynamic..
CIRKOPOLIS by Cirque Eloize
Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin
14/11/2017 - 09/12/2017
"Riveting excellence..
"Hilarious take on office work..
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DESPERATE HUTTWIVES
Lower Hutt, Wellington
29/11/2017 - 16/12/2017
"Plenty to delight and amuse..
"Desperate times for Huttwives..
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WEAVE - Yarns with New Zealanders
Wellington, Auckland, Rotorua
04/04/2017 - 11/04/2019
"A rich tapestry of contemporary Kiwi culture and identity..
"A highly polished and confident solo show..
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VENUS IN FUR
Wellington
11/11/2017 - 09/12/2017
"Impressive multifaceted performances..
"A cleverly constructed play, brilliantly executed..
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PETER PAN The Pantomime
Wellington
18/11/2017 - 13/01/2018
"Bright, energetic and full of fun..
"Panto genre refreshed to give this family tradition a whole new lease of life..
BODY DOUBLE
Wellington
09/11/2017 - 25/11/2017
"Richly provocative..
"Stop-start nature undermines Body..
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