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.
The 1/4 Pounding
Wellington
04/05/2006 - 13/05/2006
"Mid-twenties crisis handled with deftness..
"When trite turns true..
everything. now
Wellington, Auckland
02/05/2006 - 10/06/2006
"Delivers points with a stylish eye for design and movement..
"Maybe later..
More reviews
The Fundraiser
Palmerston North
27/04/2006 - 03/06/2006
"Way too premature..
Flamenco Tablao / The Cry of Spain
Wellington
28/04/2006 - 29/04/2006
"Paradox in passion..
Rain
Wellington
26/04/2006 - 29/04/2006
"Memorable play warmly acted..
"Mystery twist a winner..
More reviews
Drawer of Knives
Wellington
22/04/2006 - 20/05/2006
"Suspense better suited to screen than stage?..
"Mclaughlin nails Russell in Knives..
More reviews
Radio Shade: Project Antigone
Wellington
19/04/2006 - 29/04/2006
"Performance art of little consequence..
Check It Out
Wellington
19/04/2006 - 29/04/2006
"Sex-obsessed fizzler..
BLACK GRACE & friends
Wellington
16/04/2006 - 20/04/2006
"Direction needed..
"Well executed and pleasant to watch..
No Moa
Wellington
15/04/2006 - 24/04/2006
"Family frolics with a most entertaining moa..
"Outrage at Downstage..
The Gingerbread Man
Wellington
15/04/2006 - 29/04/2006
"Cooking up a ginger winner..
"Spice and life lessons..
On Our Street
Wellington
15/04/2006 - 25/04/2006
"Highly energised performances..
"Simply inspiring..
Black Milk
Wellington
12/04/2006 - 13/04/2006
"The Wright Stuff..
"Darkness and life in Black Milk..
Palangi Loi
Palmerston North
31/03/2006 - 13/04/2006
"Authentic feel to new Tongan play..
Mui
Wellington
06/04/2006 - 13/04/2006
"Fragments of immigrant experience..
"An almost mystical coherence..
Never Swim Alone
Wellington
04/04/2006 - 13/04/2006
"To be a real man..
"Competitive comedy makes its point..
Death of a Salesman
Wellington
01/04/2006 - 06/05/2006
"Father and son's torment makes for gut-wrenching theatre..
"World class production of modern classic..
Mum's Choir
Wellington
25/03/2006 - 29/04/2006
"Mini von Trapp choir..
"Getting to the heart..
More reviews
The Wedding
Wellington
22/03/2006 - 26/03/2006
"Eye candy..
"Doubt doesn't do it..
Noisy Shadows
Wellington
21/03/2006 - 25/03/2006
"Inner turmoil amid chaos..
"Shadows casting reality..
DJ Spooky’s Rebirth of a Nation
Wellington
17/03/2006 - 18/03/2006
"Taking liberty..
The Brilliant Fassah
Wellington
11/03/2006 - 15/04/2006
"Engaging, entertaining and quite touching..
"That's the spirit..
More reviews
Tuwhare
Wellington
11/03/2006 - 13/03/2006
"Rich tribute to a living treasure..
