John C Ross
John C Ross is a retired senior lecturer in English literature ex-Massey University, Palmerston North, and remains an honorary research fellow, writing stuff. Born in Wellington, he caught the theatre-going and amateur acting bug there, mainly while a student at Victoria University.
In 1965 he took a ship to England for one year’s OE, and came back eight years later to the Massey job. In the years in between he acquired a Ph D in English from Birkbeck College, University of London, studying Restoration comedy, and spent about four-and-a-half years as a literature tutor at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama, Sidcup, Kent, plus plenty of travelling-around, tramping, and theatre-going.
Since 1974, John has directed or acted in quite a few plays with Massey Drama Society and Manawatu Theatre Society, and helped front-of-house during Centrepoint Theatre’s earlier years. He has written regular theatre reviews for Act Bulletin, the Sunday Times, the Dominion, the Dominion Post, and, now, Theatreview.
John C Ross's reviews
The Tempestuous
Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North
13/06/2023 - 21/04/2024
"Phenomenal energy, vivacity, versatility, inventiveness and humour..
"Wonderful word wrangling and expert audience interaction..
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The Adventures of the White Unicorn
Palmerston North
10/02/2024 - 10/02/2024
"Hugely vivacious and likeable..
Coombe: Inside Me
Palmerston North
10/02/2024 - 10/02/2024
"Often funny, always entertaining..
TIMBERRR…!
Wellington
08/04/2022 - 23/04/2022
"Assured, successful, warmly recommended..
"Cutting through the blokeish obstacles..
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MIDDLE AGE SPREAD
Palmerston North
09/03/2019 - 14/04/2019
"A good and fresh revival..
FAREWELL MONA LISA!
Palmerston North
13/10/2018 - 13/10/2018
"A happy event..
Alexander Sparrow in BECOMING TRUMP
Wellington, Palmerston North
10/10/2018 - 15/11/2018
"Undoubted skills could better serve a bigger purpose..
"Impressive energy, humour, invention, vocal and body-language versatility..
G+FORCE
Wellington, Palmerston North
28/06/2018 - 09/10/2018
"Sheer chutzpah – brave and enjoyable..
"Seems to have found the sweet spot..
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..
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MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Palmerston North
07/08/2018 - 11/08/2018
"The action moves along well..
CYNTHIA & GERTIE GO BAROQUE!
Palmerston North, Wellington
20/09/2017 - 23/12/2017
"Go for baroque, Kiwi style..
"Funny, frolicking and fabulous..
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HOW I MET MY FATHER
Wellington, Auckland, Palmerston North
19/02/2017 - 09/08/2017
"Unvarnished, soul-sharing honesty..
"Impressive guts, flare and skills..
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Alexander Sparrow is DE SADE
Wellington, Auckland, Palmerston North
19/02/2014 - 07/10/2018
"Hilarious and delightful debauchery..
"Very inventive..
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LARGER THAN LIFE an adventure of epic proportions
Palmerston North, Wellington, Auckland
08/06/2017 - 01/07/2017
"A real trip down memory lane..
"Hilarious and poignant cultural, historical and socio-political reverie..
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SCHOOL DANCE
Palmerston North
18/03/2017 - 29/04/2017
"Much ado about not all that much?..
"Laugh-out-loud funny..
THE WINTER’S TALE
Palmerston North
02/03/2017 - 11/03/2017
"A strong team..
"Summer Shakespeare scores with an adventurous outdoor performance..
THE STREAKER
Palmerston North
04/11/2016 - 17/12/2016
"Challenges met with unpredictable twists..
"A romping comedy..
DOUBLE DERELICTS
Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Havelock North, Palmerston North
13/12/2013 - 08/10/2016
"Splendid value..
"No fourth wall in this show..
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WHEN WE DEAD AWAKEN
Wellington, Palmerston North, Dunedin
19/02/2016 - 01/10/2016
"A rarefied atmosphere of psychological and metaphysical intrigue..
"Passion and commitment..
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THE EVENTS
Palmerston North
30/07/2016 - 20/08/2016
"A deeply disturbing yet fine and important play..
A DORIS DAY SPECIAL
Tauranga, Hamilton, Christchurch, Wellington, Invercargill, Palmerston North, New Plymouth
24/04/2016 - 14/10/2017
"Beautiful, quirky, gutsy..
"Charming and touching..
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White Rabbit Red Rabbit
Palmerston North
28/05/2016 - 11/06/2016
"Rose to the challenge splendidly..