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.
BROKEN RIVER
Wellington
23/11/2013 - 05/12/2013
"Ambitious work holds sway despite odd mix..
"A major theatrical work that captures a highly topical set of conflicts..
VERBATIM
Auckland, Wellington
12/11/2013 - 27/11/2013
"Touching, affecting, moving..
"Timeless questions confronted..
More reviews
WHISTLE SOLO
Wellington, Auckland
05/11/2013 - 16/11/2013
"Whistling up a fine piece of theatre..
"So who did end the Cold War?..
More reviews
REBELLIOUS MIRRORS: Community-based Theatre in Aotearoa/New Zealand
Global
13/09/2013 - 31/12/2013
"Gems aplenty to be mined..
STAGES OF FEAR
Wellington
17/10/2013 - 26/10/2013
"Begins and ends well..
THIS FAIR VERONA
Wellington
15/10/2013 - 19/10/2013
"All’s fair in warped Shakespeare..
"Delightful blend of familiar classical moments, departures and variations..
DOLLY MIXTURE
Auckland, Wellington
21/02/2013 - 12/10/2013
"Deranged laughs..
"Falls well short of its potential..
More reviews
CHOP/STICK
Auckland, Wellington
20/11/2012 - 12/10/2013
"Clever comedy..
"Fluent, fluid and wonderfully entertaining..
More reviews
DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA
Wellington
01/10/2013 - 05/10/2013
"Offbeat American beauty portrays healing power of love..
"A helluva ride..
I BELIEVE IN MONSTERS
Wellington
01/10/2013 - 12/10/2013
"The monstrous quest to be accepted as yourself..
HALLOWEENIES!
Wellington
30/09/2013 - 12/10/2013
"Strong structure supports Monster improv..
"Excellent incorporation of ‘ask fors’..
THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES
Wellington
28/09/2013 - 12/10/2013
"Famous story amusingly staged..
"Unbelievably imaginative..
NEANG NEAK’S LEGACY
Wellington
25/09/2013 - 28/09/2013
"The all pervasive legacy of genocide..
"A rare opportunity to see hidden realities brought to light..
I BETTY YA DIDN’T KNOW THIS ABOUT COLONIAL NEW ZEALAND
Wellington
24/09/2013 - 28/09/2013
"An ‘end-of-year show for friends’ feel..
"A highly entertaining pastiche..
CHUMP CHANGE
Wellington
24/09/2013 - 28/09/2013
"Powerful portrayal of homelessness..
"A snapshot that could do more..
MIDSUMMER – A Play with Songs
Wellington
21/09/2013 - 19/10/2013
"Raunchy rom-com worth the wait..
"Buoyant, magical, dreamlike yet true..
THE VANCE FONTAINE BIG BAND HAPPY HOUR
Wellington
20/09/2013 - 20/09/2013
"A concept that just keeps giving and giving..
THE 121 CONNECTION
Wellington
20/09/2013 - 20/09/2013
"Profound, poetic, perceptive..
The Young and the WITless 7: Small Town, Big Hearts
Wellington
07/08/2013 - 25/09/2013
"Fairly hums and froths with authentic soap opera spin..
"Promising much..
INTO THE LIGHT
Wellington
18/09/2013 - 18/09/2013
"Small miracles..
#DIVAS
Wellington
17/09/2013 - 17/09/2013
"Update inventiveness..
OPENING CRUMPET
Wellington
17/09/2013 - 17/09/2013
"A lively and stimulating launch..
NO NAUGHTY BITS
Wellington
14/09/2013 - 12/10/2013
"Pertinent impertinence with panache..
"Naughty bits best left in..
