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.
GO SOLO 2012
Wellington
03/10/2012 - 13/10/2012
"Group E..
"GROUP C..
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PRIVATISING PARTS
Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin
02/10/2012 - 17/03/2013
"Unsettling, incredibly funny and intensely personal..
"Cute, witty, sarcastic, energetic and manic..
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Cinderella: New Zealand’s Best Top Model
Wellington
02/10/2012 - 13/10/2012
"Less than satisfying..
"Falls well short of professional standards..
FAIRY GODFATHER
Wellington
01/10/2012 - 13/10/2012
"Spontaneity and irritation..
"Can do better – probably will..
SNOW WHITE
Wellington
29/09/2012 - 13/10/2012
"Still the fairest of them all..
"Cleverly counter-points insidious role-conditioning..
AROUND THE WORLD AND BUCK AGAIN
Wellington
07/04/2012 - 13/10/2012
"A rich and entertaining experience all round..
"Canine antics make for rip-roaring kids' show..
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EIGENGRAU
Auckland, Wellington
25/09/2012 - 24/11/2012
"Tight, effective, intelligent and fervent directing of assertive, authentic and raw performances..
"Deconstructed modern romcom engages well at emotional level..
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The Keepers
Auckland, Wellington
31/05/2011 - 29/09/2012
"Hypnotic weave..
"Too many unanswered questions..
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MANAWA
Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North
15/09/2012 - 14/03/2013
"Vital, intelligent, fluent, funny, gutsy, hard-hitting and impressively realised..
"Striking contrasts..
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WHITE CLOUD: Songs & Stories
Wellington
12/09/2012 - 22/09/2012
"Work in progress..
"Fascinating island full of voices..
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CLYBOURNE PARK
Wellington
08/09/2012 - 06/10/2012
"Exposing hypocrisy deliciously..
"True colours on show..
FLOWERS FROM MY MOTHER’S GARDEN
Wellington
07/09/2012 - 29/09/2012
"Trip down memory lane..
"Harcourt family’s life history full of vibrancy..
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MICHAEL JAMES MANAIA
Wellington, Palmerston North, Auckland, Dunedin
25/02/2012 - 16/02/2013
"Play’s power unchanged..
"Takes no prisoners..
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THE PROSPECT
Wellington
29/08/2012 - 01/09/2012
"Good Prospect..
"Powerful depiction of town under siege..
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HOLDING ON
Wellington
28/08/2012 - 08/09/2012
"Show packed with punch..
"Full of angst but leads nowhere..
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One Day Moko
Wellington, Auckland
28/06/2011 - 01/09/2012
"Reality confronted..
"Solo performance of heart and character a real treat..
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ANOTHER BEGGAR’S OPERA
Wellington
17/08/2012 - 22/08/2012
"Strong sense of ensemble commitment carries the evening..
OUR COUNTRY’S GOOD
Wellington
15/08/2012 - 25/08/2012
"The perfect stage for student storytelling..
"Playing with redemption..
SKELLIG
Wellington
14/08/2012 - 18/08/2012
"Pure Magic..
"Entertaining tale for young and old..
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THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING
Wellington
11/08/2012 - 08/09/2012
"It will happen to you..
"Masterly portrayal of loss and survival..
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