John C Ross

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 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..