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.
HAMISH PARKINSON - Fly or Die
Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch
05/05/2015 - 23/01/2016
"Extraordinarily funny and absolutely original..
"Delightfully absurdist..
COLIN HAY - WAITING FOR MY REAL LIFE ...
Wellington, Auckland
01/05/2015 - 05/05/2015
"Don’t wait. This life is worth tuning into...
"Real life entertainment..
More reviews
THE IMPROVISORS Theatresports - The Silver Jubilee Season
Wellington
03/05/2015 - 14/06/2015
"Small miracles abound..
A SERVANT TO TWO MASTERS
Wellington
02/05/2015 - 30/05/2015
"A colourful two hours of knockabout farce..
"Highly entertaining with just enough character complexity and social commentary bite..
ELI MATTHEWSON - Faith
Wellington
29/04/2015 - 02/05/2015
"Effacing, insightful, affirming and fun..
KADE AND JEREMY - You, Me & O.C.D
Wellington
02/04/2015 - 29/04/2015
"Relaxed and fluid yet exemplifies OCD..
TWO DAY PLAYS 2015
Wellington
29/03/2015 - 26/04/2015
"An energising celebration of the collective creative spirit..
DON JUAN
Wellington, Havelock North, Nelson, Auckland
25/04/2015 - 12/11/2016
"Juan Direction..
"Feel the love - young dogs give it heaps..
More reviews
LETTERS FROM THE FRONT
Wellington
21/04/2015 - 25/04/2015
"Strangely safe and benign..
IMPROV for Kids 2015
Wellington
07/04/2015 - 18/04/2015
"Entertaining ingenuity..
KIWI MOON
Wellington
04/04/2015 - 10/10/2015
"Humorous and heartfelt..
"A must-see holiday highlight..
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
Wellington
04/04/2015 - 18/04/2015
"Fresh elements and interesting depth..
How To Universe
Wellington
07/02/2014 - 05/04/2015
"Intriguingly packaged skills..
"Funny and captivating..
BEARDS! BEARDS! BEARDS!
Wellington, Dunedin, Nelson, Havelock North, Auckland, Edinburgh, Scotland
12/03/2015 - 28/08/2016
"Colourful characters, catchy songs, plenty of energy, great fun!..
"Full and delicious with a heart and a message..
More reviews
RUKAHU
Wellington
10/03/2015 - 19/11/2016
"Loads to love about the questions raised..
"Enriching manure..
NGUNGURU I Te Ao I Te Po
Wellington
09/03/2015 - 14/03/2015
"Restoring the balance..
SIX BAD ARTHOUSE PLAYS
Wellington, Hamilton
04/10/2012 - 14/03/2015
"Brilliant with something for everyone..
"Subversive in more ways than one..
More reviews
GUJI GUJI
Wellington, Havelock North
09/03/2015 - 15/10/2016
"Good lessons learned..
"Beautifully and gently told..
More reviews
ANY WOMB WILL DO
Wellington
08/03/2015 - 09/03/2015
"Pondering the politics of parenthood..
CATERPILLARS
Tauranga, Auckland, Havelock North, Wellington, Dunedin
19/02/2015 - 06/10/2016
"Totally bewitching..
"Perfect for the youngsters..
More reviews
CONFESSIONS OF A GRINDr ADDICT
Wellington
06/03/2015 - 07/03/2015
"Empathy-inducing insights..
STAY FROSTY
Wellington
05/03/2015 - 08/03/2015
"Total lack of dramatic tension..
MY FAVOURITE PROBLEMATIC
Wellington
03/03/2015 - 07/03/2015
"Absorbing for many and clearly welcome..
