Smallwood is an Honorary Fellow of the Shakespeare Institute and the General Editor of Shakespeare at Statford series. He recently retired as Head of Education at the Shakespeare Centre, Stratford-upon-Avon, where the courses he directed for twenty-five years on plays in the repertoire of the Royal Shakespeare Company for university students from many countries brought him into regular contact with actors, directors, and other members of the RSC. Since retiring he has been Visiting Professor at the University of Bourgogne and has also taught in the United States.