John Courtenay TrewinOBE (4 December 1908 – 16 February 1990) was a British journalist, writer and drama critic.

Trewin was born inPlymouth,Devon, although both his parents wereCornish. He was educated atPlymouth College and in 1926 joined theWestern Independent as a cub reporter. He moved toLondon in 1932 and joined theMorning Post, transferring toThe Observer in 1937. He served as drama critic on the paper for more than 60 years. His also wrote a drama column forThe Listener (1951–57), and contributed regular notices toPunch (1944–45),John O'London's Weekly (1945–54),The Sketch (1947–59), theIllustrated London News (1947–88),The Lady (from 1949) and theBirmingham Post.^[1]

Among other productions, his memoirA Play Tonight, published in 1952 by Elek Books, New York, reviewed the June 1951 revival of theYork Mystery Plays, performed for the first time there since 1570 during the York Festival, as part of theFestival of Britain.Paul Scofield (1956) was an illustrated study ofthe actor's work, as wasJohn Neville (1961) ofhis work.

He was appointedOfficer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1981 for services to theatre.^[1]

He marriedWendy Monk (1915–2000), also a critic, in 1938. The couple had two sons, Mark Antony Trewin andIon Trewin (who eventually became the administrator of theMan Booker Prize from 2006).

From 2000 to 2015, the John And Wendy Trewin Award For Best Shakespearian Performance was given byThe Critics' Circle in memory of Trewin and his wife. In 2016, after their son Ion died, the award was renamed the Trewin Award For Best Shakespearian Performance and the first recipient wasDame Judi Dench.^[2]

• Donald Roy, "Trewin, John Courtenay",Dictionary of National Biography

• Catalogue of the papers of J. C. Trewin held by the Library of the University of Reading
• John Courtenay Trewin Collection at theHarry Ransom Center