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.
Crystal Clear Shakespeare
Wellington
31/05/2017 - 03/06/2017
"An absorbing anthology..
THREE DAYS IN THE COUNTRY
Wellington
27/05/2017 - 24/06/2017
"A powerful study of human nature..
"Impressive exploration of timeless themes..
Alexander Sparrow is DJ TRUMP
Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington
24/05/2017 - 07/10/2018
"Irresistible..
"Captivating showmanship in presenting the offensive, confrontational and piteous..
More reviews
PSA ELECTION DAY
Wellington
16/05/2017 - 20/05/2017
"Plenty to laugh at..
SONS OF A BITCH
Auckland, Wellington
09/05/2017 - 20/05/2017
"Canine commedia exemplified..
"Tight duo’s slick sparring earns standing ovation..
OLIVE COPPERBOTTOM
Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Tauranga, Nelson, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Dunedin
18/04/2017 - 16/12/2023
"Versatile virtuoso Ashton..
"Caters to a range of tastes with energy and joy..
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WHITE MAN BEHIND A DESK: LIVE
Wellington, Nelson
09/05/2017 - 22/10/2017
"One white man worth watching..
"Top-drawer brilliance deserves bigger audience..
Li'i Alaimoana MINORITY RAPPORT
Wellington
02/05/2017 - 06/05/2017
"Reports insightfully and achieves rapport to the max..
HAND TO GOD
Wellington
22/04/2017 - 20/05/2017
"Darkly comic US stage hit arrives in Wellington..
"A hell of a ride..
WILFRID GORDON MCDONALD PARTRIDGE
Wellington
18/04/2017 - 22/04/2017
"You can almost see the youngsters’ synapses sparking..
CYMBELINE
Wellington
19/04/2017 - 29/04/2017
"Strength in simplicity..
"Intelligently rendered and easily digested..
MR and MRS ALEXANDER: Sidehows and Psychics
Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch
18/01/2015 - 06/05/2017
"Terrific tale of tricksters..
"As subjectively astonishing as it is objectively fascinating..
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THE MESSY MAGIC ADVENTURE
Wellington, Invercargill, Nelson, Wanaka
18/04/2017 - 20/07/2024
"A Rollicking a celebration of clowning, slapstick and magic..
"Subversive thrill in magical messiness..
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JON BENNETT Fire in the Meth Lab
Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch
06/05/2014 - 27/01/2018
"Bloody funny with uncommon compassion and empathy..
"Grows with its maker from crudely juvenile to insightful and even profound..
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Jon Bennett: MY DAD’s DEATHS
Wellington
26/02/2017 - 12/04/2017
"He knows his craft..
"Revels in celebrating differences..
VOICES FROM THE FRONT
Wellington
05/04/2017 - 08/04/2017
"Saved by the singing..
DESIRE CAUGHT BY THE TAIL (Le Désir attrapé par la queue)
Wellington
04/04/2017 - 08/04/2017
"A creative challenge for the participants..
MOUTH OPEN, STORY JUMP OUT
Wellington
25/03/2017 - 25/03/2017
"Cleverly created..
ANZAC EVE
Wellington, Hamilton, Auckland, Bay of Islands, Tauranga, Invercargill, New Plymouth
21/03/2017 - 24/08/2017
"Neither laughed nor cried..
"Funny, serious, informative, warming..
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STICKS STONES BROKEN BONES
Wellington
18/03/2017 - 25/03/2017
"Astonishing..
THE FIRST TIME
Wellington
16/03/2017 - 25/03/2017
"Covers topics rarely aired in public..
"Socially insightful..
HENS' TEETH at the WTF!
Wellington
14/03/2017 - 25/03/2017
"An evening of light, bright entertainment..
"At least a dozen very ‘good eggs’..
ESCAPED ALONE
Wellington
11/03/2017 - 08/04/2017
"Subtly wrought richness..
