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.
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..
GIFT OF THE GAB
Wellington, Auckland
13/02/2015 - 21/11/2015
"Sharp-witted, light-footed fun..
"An astonishing theatrical creation..
More reviews
OUT OF ORDER
Wellington
03/03/2015 - 07/03/2015
"All-consuming fun..
CHAMELEON and ONLY BONES
Wellington
26/02/2015 - 27/02/2015
"Unbridled delight..
LABYRINTHINE
Wellington
26/02/2015 - 13/03/2015
"Where Lost is found..
"Experiential but not profound..
REAL FAKE WHITE DIRT
Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North, Hamilton
03/04/2014 - 10/09/2015
"Delightfully disconcerting..
"Wonderfully inspired..
More reviews
SURGERY IN MIND
Wellington
24/02/2015 - 28/02/2015
"Being challenged by the realities of life..
"Once more into the underworld..
FAX OF LIFE
Wellington
23/02/2015 - 28/02/2015
"90s play in need of work..
"Intriguing exploration..
MOTHY and other stories
Wellington
22/02/2015 - 08/03/2015
"Browsing intriguing lives..
28 DAYS: A Period Piece
Wellington
19/02/2015 - 22/02/2015
"Saved by energy and honesty..
"Rap, tap and flap delivers the message..
THIN
Wellington
19/02/2015 - 28/02/2015
"Upbeat exploration of a serious issue..
