Difference between revisions of "Barney Simon"

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(1931?/4?*-25/6/1995) Director, writer and playwright, copywriter, teacher. One of the most influential figures of the 1970s and 1980s. Born in Johannesburg, Began studying architecture at [[University of Witwatersrand]] and later [[University of Natal]], but dropped out before graduating. He had begun writing stories by this time. Went to London in 1959 to study photography and film editing. Inspired by working as a stage hand for [[Joan Littlewood]]’s [[Theatre Workshop]] at the [[Theatre Royal]], he returned in 1961 to join [[Union Artists]], where he and [[Ian Bernhardt]] set up the [[Phoenix Players]]. Working as copywriter in the day, he helped at [[The Rehearsal Room]] at [[Dorkay House]] in the evenings. Here he met Working with [[Athol Fugard]], helping him with ''[[The Blood Knot]]'' and directing [[Fugard]] in ''[[Krapp’s Last Tape]]'' ([[Beckett]], ) and the first production of [[Fugard]]’s  ''[[Hello and Goodbye]]''. He also did , ***’s  [[Phiri]] (19*) and [[Albee]]'s ''[[The Death of Bessie Smith]]'' (19*),  In 1968-1970 he spent time in the USA, directing plays by Fugard. (e.g. ''Hello and Goodbye'' with Martin Sheen) and became associated editor of the New York Literary Review. Returned to South Africa in 1970 on the death of his father, becoming involved with doing health education sketches in rural Transkei and KwaZulu (1973-4), while doing freelance writing and directing for the  [[Space Theatre]] (e.g directing ''[[Medea]]'', writing and directing ''[[Miss South Africa]]'') and  [[PACT]], where he agreed to work on experimental projects in [[The Arena]]. (These included [[Büchner]]’s ''[[Woyzeck]]'' (1973), *** and ***.) However, he did not enjoy working in the state funded system as his heart lay in non-racial theatre, therefore he and [[Mannie Manim]] set up [[The Company]] in 1974, for which he directed works such as his own ''[[Hey, Listen!]]'' (1974),  ''[[The Maids]]'' (1975/6?*)??**] and [[Anouilh]]’s ''[[Antigone]]'' (In [[The Blue Fox]], 1975). During this time he also did freelance advertising work for extra income. In 1976 Simon and Manim opened The [[Market Theatre]] and his production of ,  [[Weiss]]’s ''[[Marat/Sade]]'' (1976) opened the main theatre. Simon became the Artistic Director and a trustee of the [[Market Theatre Foundation]]. Besides his administrative duties he regularly produced workshopped plays for the [[Market]], including ''[[Cincinatti. Scenes from the city life]]'' through improvisation with the cast (1979),  ''[[Vroue van Troje]]'' (“Women of Troy”, 197*),  ''[[Woza Albert]]'' (198*), ''[[Born in the RSA]]'' (1985), ''[[Outers]]'' (198*), ''[[In'emayama/Black Dog]]'' (198*), ''[[Starbrites]]'' (1994), ''[[Singing the Times]]'' (19**), ''[[Eden and Other Places]]'' (198*), ***, *''[[East]]'' ([[Berkoff]], 1995) *''[[The Island]]'' ([[Fugard]], 1995), ''[[The Suit]]'' ([[Can Themba]], 1995). At the same time his continuing interest in community theatre and development programmes found expression in projects such as the [[Winterveld project]] (1979*???) and the [[Market Theatre Laboratory]], which he began in 1989. This was a training facility for young theatre practitioners which produced numerous new works and performers and worked with them till his untimely death. His published works include a collection of short stories (''Joburg Sis!'', 1953), some of which were later dramatized as well, the widely anthologized ''[[Woza Albert!]]'' and ''[[Born in the RSA: Four Workshopped Plays]]'' (1997). Besides numerous directing awards, he was given **** An important source on Simon is [[Mary Benson]]'s *** (1997).  SIMON, Barney. He acted as assistant stage manager, together with [[Percy Tucker]] on [[James Ambrose Brown]]’s [[The Governor at Black Rock]] which was directed by [[Leon Gluckman]] for the [[East Rand Theatre Club]] in 1953. He directed [[Jean Genet]]’s ''[[The Maids]]'' with [[Molly Seftel]], [[Barbara Itzler]] and [[Maya Obel]] for [[PACT]] at the [[Arena]] around 1971. He used the [[Doornfontein Arena]] for [[The Company]] circa 1971. He directed [[Athol Fugard]], [[John Kani]] and [[Winston Ntshona]]’s workshopped play, ''[[Sizwe Banzi is Dead]]'', starring Kani and Ntshona. It was brought to Johannesburg by [[Ian Bernhardt]] for the [[Phoenix Players]] and was staged at the [[Men’s Common Room]] at [[Wits University]] in November 1972. He directed ''[[Six Characters in Search of an Author]]'' at the [[Alexander]] in 1973. Together with [[Mannie Manim]] as administrative director he formed [[The Company]] as artistic director within the [[Arena Theatre]]. It had a core company of actors – [[Aletta Bezuidenhout]], [[Vanessa Cooke]], [[Leonie Hofmeyr]], [[David Eppel]], [[Judith Cornell]], [[Janice Honeyman]], [[Sue Kiel]], [[Danny Keogh]], [[Lindsay Reardon]] and [[John Oakley-Smith]]. He directed ''[[Lysistrata]]'' for [[The Company]] at the [[Arena]] in 1974. He directed [[Arthur Miller]]’s ''[[The Crucible]]'' for [[PACT]] starring [[Marius Weyers]], [[Patrick Mynhardt]], [[Michael McCabe]], [[Aletta Bezuidenhout]] and [[Michele Maxwell]] in 1975. [[The Company]] was awarded a premises for [[The Market Theatre]] in 1975.He directed ''[[Pleasure and Repentance]]'', a fund-raising show, which was staged at the [[Market Theatre]] in a back room of the unfinished theatre on 4 January 1976. The cast comprised [[Michael McCabe]], [[Ron Smerczak]], [[Keith Blundell]] and [[Janet Suzman]]. His production of [[Chekhov]]’s ''[[The Seagull]]'' starring [[Erica Rogers]], [[Vanessa Cooke]], [[Sandra Prinsloo]], [[Bill Brewer]], [[Marius Weyers]], [[Danny Keogh]], [[Lindsay Reardon]] and [[Bess Finney]] was the opening production at [[Upstairs at the Market]] on 21 June 1976. He then staged ''[[The Crucible]]'' later that same year. The official opening of the [[Market Theatre]] was on 19 October 1976 and Simon directed [[The Company]]’s production of [[Peter Weiss]]’ ''[[Marat/Sade]]'' aka ''[[The Persecution of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade]]'' starring [[Kenneth Hendel]], [[Wilson Dunster]] and [[Sandra Prinsloo]]. [[The Company]] presented his revival of ''[[People Are Living There]]'' with [[Yvonne Bryceland]], [[Wilson Dunster]], [[Vanessa Cooke]] and [[Danny Keogh]] at the [[Market Theatre]] in 1977. He directed [[Brecht]]’s ''[[Mother Courage]]'' with [[Yvonne Bryceland]] and [[Aletta Bezuidenhout]] in 1977. It was staged in the main house at the [[Market Theatre]]. He then directed an Afrikaans translation of ''[[The Women of Troy]]'' starring [[Aletta Bezuidenhout]], [[Jana Cilliers]], [[Grethe Fox]], [[Sandra Prinsloo]] and [[Wilna Snyman]] at the [[Market]] later that same year. He directed [[Murray Schisgal]]’s Broadway comedy ''[[Luv]]'' with [[Wilson Dunster]], [[Janice Honeyman]] and [[James White]]. It was a co production by [[The Company]] and the [[Academy]] and staged at [[Upstairs]] at the [[Market]] in 1977. His production of [[Albee]]’s ''[[The Death of Bessie Smith]]'' starring [[Janet Suzman]], [[John Kani]] and [[Winston Ntshona]] was staged at the [[Market Theatre]] in 1979. He directed [[Vivian Solomons]] and [[Wilma Stockenström]] in [[Fugard]]’s ''[[Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act]]'' at [[The Market]] in 1979. He directed ''[[Cincinatti – Scenes from City Life]]'' starring [[Vanessa Cooke]], [[Marcel van Heerden]], [[Danny Keogh]], [[Lesley Nott]], [[Barrie Shah]], [[Thoko Ntshinga]], [[Bo Petersen]], [[Sam Williams]] and [[Robin Smith]] for [[The Company]] at [[The Market]] in 1979. He won best director at the [[DALRO Awards]] for ''[[Cincinatti]]''. He directed [[Stephen Gray]]’s ''[[Cold Stone Jug]]'' for a [[Market-Baxter Theatre]] collaboration in 1981. He directed ''[[Woza Albert!]]'' developed by [[Mbongeni Ngema]] and [[Percy Mtwa]] at the [[Laager]] in 1981. Together with [[Janice Honeyman]] he directed ''[[Marico Moonshine and Mampoer]]'', inspired by certain [[H.C.Bosman]] stories, at the [[Market]] in 1981. His production of [[Marsha Norman]]’s ''[[Night Mother]]'' starring [[Janice Honeyman]] and [[Julie Follansbee]] was staged at the [[Laager]] in September 1983. The [[Company]] presented his ''[[Black Dog Inj’emnyama]]'' at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in 1984 before going to the Edinburgh Festival. Together with his cast which included [[Fiona Ramsay]], [[Vanessa Cooke]], [[Timmy Kwebulana]], [[Gcina Mhlophe]], [[Terry Norton]], [[Thoko Ntshinga]] and [[Neil McCarthy]] he wrote ''[[Born in the RSA]]'' which opened at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in August 1985 before moving to the main theatre. The [[Company]] presented his production of ''[[The Dybbuk]]'' in 1986. He directed [[Athol Fugard]]’s ''[[The Blood Knot]]'' for [[PACT]] in 1988. He directed [[David Lan]]’s ''[[Flight]]'' at the [[Market]] in 1988. His fable, ''[[Starbrites]]'', was staged at the [[Market]] in September 1990. He directed [[Ariel Dorfman]]’s ''[[Death and the Maiden]]'' at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in 1992. He directed [[Mothobi Mutloatse]]’s adaptation of ''[[The Suit]]'' in 1993. He died in 1995.  
+
[[Barney Simon]] (1932-1995) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Simon] was an artistic director, writer, copywriter, teacher, and co-creator of the [[Market Theatre]] in Johannesburg.
 +
 
 +
One of the most influential figures in South Africa theatre from the 1970s to the 1990s.
 +
 
 +
''Not to be confused with the well known disk jockey and radio personality, [[Barney Simon]] (197*-)[https://www.discogs.com/artist/483464-Barney-Simon]''
 +
 
 +
== Biography ==
 +
 
 +
Born in Johannesburg, he began studying architecture at [[University of the Witwatersrand]] and later [[University of Natal]], but dropped out before graduating. He had begun writing stories by this time. Went to London in 1959 to study photography and film editing. Inspired by working as a stage hand for Joan Littlewood’s [[Theatre Workshop]] at the [[Theatre Royal]], he returned in 1961 to join [[Union Artists]], where he and [[Ian Bernhardt]] set up the [[Phoenix Players]]. Working as copywriter in the day, he helped at The [[Rehearsal Room]] at [[Dorkay House]] in the evenings.  
 +
 
 +
Here he met [[Athol Fugard]], helping him with ''[[The Blood Knot]]'' and directing Fugard in ''[[Krapp's Last Tape]]'' (Beckett) and the first production of Fugard’s ''[[Hello and Goodbye]]''. He also did ''[[Phiri]]'' (19*) and Edward Albee's ''[[The Death of Bessie Smith]]''.
 +
 
 +
In 1968-1970 he spent time in the USA, directing plays by Fugard. (e.g. ''Hello and Goodbye'' with Martin Sheen) and became associated editor of the New York Literary Review.  
 +
 
 +
He returned to South Africa in 1970 on the death of his father, becoming involved with doing health education sketches in rural Transkei and KwaZulu (1973-4), while doing freelance writing and directing for the  [[Space Theatre]] (e.g directing ''[[Medea]]'', writing and directing ''[[Miss South Africa]]'') and  [[PACT]], where he agreed to work on experimental projects in [[The Arena]]. (These included Büchner’s ''[[Woyzeck]]'' (1973). However, he did not enjoy working in the state funded system as his heart lay in non-racial theatre, therefore he and [[Mannie Manim]] set up [[The Company]] in 1974, The [[Market Theatre]] in 1976 (with Barney as Artistic Director) and the [[Market Theatre Laboratory]].
 +
 
 +
Barney died in June 1995.
 +
 
 +
=Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance=
 +
 
 +
Besides his management and educational roles, Simon has written, workshopped/facilitated and directed an enormous number of plays, among them some of the most iconic South African plays of the 20th century.
 +
 
 +
Plays directed for [[The Space]] Theatre include ''[[Medea]]'' (1977), ''[[Call Me Woman]]'' and at [[People's Space]] ''[[Savage Love]]'' (1980).
 +
 
 +
Among the work he did for [[The Company]] were ''[[Hey Listen!]]'' (1974),  ''[[The Maids]]'' and ''[[Antigone (by Jean Anouilh)]]'' (In The [[Blue Fox]], 1975).  
 +
 
 +
During this time he also did freelance advertising work for extra income.
 +
 
 +
In 1976 Simon and [[Mannie Manim]] opened The [[Market Theatre]] and his production of  Weiss’s ''[[Marat/Sade]]'' (1976) opened the main theatre.
 +
 
 +
Simon became the Artistic Director and a trustee of the [[Market Theatre Foundation]].
 +
 
 +
Besides his administrative duties he regularly directed and produced workshopped plays for the [[Market Theatre]], including ''[[Cincinatti – Scenes from City Life]]'' through improvisation with the cast (1979), ''[[Vroue van Troje]]'' (“Women of Troy”, 197*), ''[[Woza Albert]]'' (198*), ''[[Born in the RSA]]'' (1985), ''[[Outers]]'' (198*), ''[[Black Dog-Inj'emnyama!]]'' (1984), ''[[Starbrites]]'' (1994), ''[[Singing the Times]]'' (19**), ''[[Eden and Other Places]]'' (198*), ***, *''[[East]]'' (Berkoff, 1995) *''[[The Island]]'' (Fugard, 1995), ''[[The Suit]]'' ([[Can Themba]], 1995).
 +
 
 +
At the same time his continuing interest in community theatre and development programmes found expression in projects such as the [[Winterveld Project]] (1979*???) and the [[Market Theatre Laboratory]], which he began in 1989. This was a training facility for young theatre practitioners which produced numerous new works and performers and worked with them till his untimely death.
 +
 
 +
His published works include a collection of short stories (''Joburg Sis!'', 1953), some of which were later dramatized as well, the widely anthologized ''[[Woza Albert!]]'' and ''[[Born in the RSA: Four Workshopped Plays]]'' (1997).  
 +
 
 +
He acted as assistant stage manager, together with [[Percy Tucker]] on [[James Ambrose Brown]]’s [[Governor of the Black Rock]] which was directed by [[Leon Gluckman]] for the [[East Rand Theatre Club]] in 1953. He directed [[Jean Genet]]’s ''[[The Maids]]'' with [[Molly Seftel]], [[Barbara Itzler]] and [[Maya Obel]] for [[PACT]] at the [[Arena]] around 1971. He used the [[Arena Theatre|Doornfontein Arena]] for [[The Company]] circa 1971.  
 +
 
 +
He directed [[Athol Fugard]], [[John Kani]] and [[Winston Ntshona]]’s workshopped play, ''[[Sizwe Banzi is Dead]]'', starring Kani and Ntshona. It was brought to Johannesburg by [[Ian Bernhardt]] for the [[Phoenix Players]] and was staged at the [[Men’s Common Room]] at [[Wits University]] in November 1972. He directed ''[[Six Characters in Search of an Author]]'' at the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1973. Together with [[Mannie Manim]] as administrative director he formed [[The Company]] as artistic director within the [[Arena Theatre]]. It had a core company of actors – [[Aletta Bezuidenhout]], [[Vanessa Cooke]], [[Leonie Hofmeyr]], [[David Eppel]], [[Judith Cornell]], [[Janice Honeyman]], [[Sue Kiel]], [[Danny Keogh]], [[Lindsay Reardon]] and [[John Oakley-Smith]].  
 +
 
 +
He directed ''[[Lysistrata]]'' for [[The Company]] at the [[Arena Theatre]] in 1974. He directed [[Arthur Miller]]’s ''[[The Crucible]]'' for [[PACT]] starring [[Marius Weyers]], [[Patrick Mynhardt]], [[Michael McCabe]], [[Aletta Bezuidenhout]] and [[Michele Maxwell]] in 1975. [[The Company]] was awarded a premises for The [[Market Theatre]] in 1975.
 +
 
 +
He directed ''[[Pleasure and Repentance]]'', a fund-raising show, which was staged at the [[Market Theatre]] in a back room of the unfinished theatre on 4 January 1976. The cast comprised [[Michael McCabe]], [[Ron Smerczak]], [[Keith Blundell]] and [[Janet Suzman]]. His production of Chekhov’s ''[[The Seagull]]'' starring [[Erica Rogers]], [[Vanessa Cooke]], [[Sandra Prinsloo]], [[Bill Brewer]], [[Marius Weyers]], [[Danny Keogh]], [[Lindsay Reardon]] and [[Bess Finney]] was the opening production at [[Upstairs at the Market]] on 21 June 1976. He then staged ''[[The Crucible]]'' later that same year.  
 +
 
 +
The official opening of the [[Market Theatre]] was on 19 October 1976 and Simon directed [[The Company]]’s production of Peter Weiss’s ''[[Marat/Sade]]'' starring [[Kenneth Hendel]], [[Wilson Dunster]] and [[Sandra Prinsloo]]. [[The Company]] presented his revival of ''[[People are Living There]]'' with [[Yvonne Bryceland]], [[Wilson Dunster]], [[Vanessa Cooke]] and [[Danny Keogh]] at the [[Market Theatre]] in 1977. He directed Brecht’s ''[[Mother Courage]]'' with [[Yvonne Bryceland]] and [[Aletta Bezuidenhout]] in 1977. It was staged in the main house at the [[Market Theatre]]. He then directed an Afrikaans translation of ''[[The Women of Troy]]'' starring [[Aletta Bezuidenhout]], [[Jana Cilliers]], [[Grethe Fox]], [[Sandra Prinsloo]] and [[Wilna Snyman]] at the [[Market Theatre]] later that same year. He directed [[Murray Schisgal]]’s Broadway comedy ''[[Luv]]'' with [[Wilson Dunster]], [[Janice Honeyman]] and [[James White]]. It was a co-production by [[The Company]] and the [[Academy]] and staged at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in 1977. His production of Albee’s ''[[The Death of Bessie Smith]]'' starring [[Janet Suzman]], [[John Kani]] and [[Winston Ntshona]] was staged at the [[Market Theatre]] in 1979. He directed [[Vivian Solomons]] and [[Wilma Stockenström]] in Fugard’s ''[[Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act]]'' at [[Market Theatre|The Market]] in 1979. He directed ''[[Cincinatti – Scenes from City Life]]'' starring [[Vanessa Cooke]], [[Marcel van Heerden]], [[Danny Keogh]], [[Lesley Nott]], [[Barrie Shah]], [[Thoko Ntshinga]], [[Bo Petersen]], [[Sam Williams]] and [[Robin Smith]] for [[The Company]] at [[Market Theatre|The Market]] in 1979.
 +
 
 +
He directed [[Stephen Gray]]’s ''[[Cold Stone Jug]]'' for a [[Market Theatre]]-[[Baxter Theatre]] collaboration in 1981. He directed ''[[Woza Albert!]]'' developed by [[Mbongeni Ngema]] and [[Percy Mtwa]] at the [[Laager]] in 1981. Together with [[Janice Honeyman]] he directed ''[[Marico Moonshine and Mampoer]]'', inspired by certain [[Herman Charles Bosman]] stories, at the [[Market Theatre]] in 1981. His production of Marsha Norman’s ''[['night, Mother]]'' starring [[Janice Honeyman]] and [[Julie Follansbee]] was staged at the [[Laager]] in September 1983.  
 +
 
 +
The [[Company]] presented his ''[[Black Dog-Inj'emnyama!]]'' at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in 1984 before going to the Edinburgh Festival.  
 +
 
 +
He created and directed the documentary workshop production ''[[Outers]]'' at the [[Market Theatre]], with [[Nicky Rebelo]] and the cast, which opened in March 1985. The cast consisted of  [[Nicky Rebelo]] (Klerks), [[Marius Weyers]] (Hennie), [[Gys de Villiers]] (Bles), [[Marié Human]] (Charmaine), [[Lida Meiring]] (Auntie Gwen), [[Marcel van Heerden]] (Boytie), [[James Whyle]] (Richard).  Designed by [[Anita Berman]]. Lighting design by [[Mannie Manim]].
 +
 
 +
Together with his cast which included [[Fiona Ramsay]], [[Vanessa Cooke]], [[Timmy Kwebulana]], [[Gcina Mhlophe]], [[Terry Norton]], [[Thoko Ntshinga]] and [[Neil McCarthy]] he wrote ''[[Born in the RSA]]'' which opened at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in August 1985 before moving to the main theatre.  
 +
 
 +
The [[Company]] presented his production of ''[[The Dybbuk]]'' in 1986. He directed [[Athol Fugard]]’s ''[[The Blood Knot]]'' for [[PACT]] in 1988. He directed David Lan’s ''[[Flight]]'' at the [[Market Theatre]] in 1988. His fable, ''[[Starbrites]]'', was staged at the [[Market Theatre]] in September 1990. He directed Dorfman’s ''[[Death and the Maiden]]'' at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in 1992. He directed [[Mothobi Mutloatse]]’s adaptation of ''[[The Suit]]'' in 1993.
 +
 
 +
He also directed ''[[Happy Days]]'', ''[[Oedipus]]'', ''[[The Trojan Women]]''.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
==As Playwright==
 +
 
 +
'''Original plays''' include:
 +
 
 +
''[[Phiri]]'' (a black musical version of ''[[Volpone]]'', 1972)
 +
 
 +
''[[Hey, Listen...]]'' (1974)
 +
 
 +
 
 +
'''Adaptations''':
 +
 
 +
[[Stephen Gray]]'s ''[[Cold Stone Jug]]''
 +
 
 +
 
 +
'''Collaborations''' include:
 +
 
 +
''[[People]]'' (1973)
 +
 
 +
''[[Storytime]]''
 +
 
 +
''[[Call Me Woman]]'' (1979)
 +
 
 +
''[[Cincinatti – Scenes from City Life]]'' (1979)
 +
 
 +
''[[Woza Albert!]]'' (1981)
 +
 
 +
''[[The Lion and the Lamb]]'' (1993)
 +
 
 +
== Awards, etc ==
 +
He won best director at the [[DALRO Awards]] for ''[[Cincinatti – Scenes from City Life]]''.
 +
 
 +
He was honoured with a [[Vita Award]] (National), award year 1994-1995. (Moyra Fine Award for Outstanding Contribution).
 +
 
 +
Barney Simon Exhibition, ''Barney!'' produced by [[NELM]] in 1996 in commemoration of Barney Simon [1932 - 1995].
 +
 
 +
Three-times winner of the [[Breytenbach Epathlon]] for best director.
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
−
Tucker, 1997
 
  
−
Return to [[ESAT Personalities S]]
+
[[F.C.L. Bosman]], 1928. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855''. Pretoria: [[J.H. de Bussy]]. [http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/bosm012dram01_01/]: pp.
 +
 
 +
[[Beeld]], 10 January 1985.
 +
 
 +
[[ESAT Bibliography Dea-Deu|Mona De Beer]], 1995.
 +
 
 +
[[ESAT Bibliography Bat-Bet| Mary Benson]], 1997.
 +
 
 +
[[ESAT Bibliography Tra-Tz|Tucker]], 1997.
 +
 
 +
[[ESAT Bibliography Stee-Stey|Stephanou & Henriques]] 2005.
 +
 
 +
''[[Outers]]'' programme notes in 1985.
 +
 
 +
[[Barry Hough]]. 1985. "Simon kry groot name vir drama", ''[[Beeld]]'' (Kalender, p.1) 10 January, 1985.
 +
 
 +
Photographs of the cast held by [[NELM]]: [Collection: SIMON, Barney]: 1995. 11. 13. 4. 13.
 +
 
 +
''[[Woza Albert!]]'' 1983. ''[[Methuen]]''.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
Numerous entries in the [[NELM]] catalogue.
 +
 
 +
== Return to ==
 +
 
 +
Return to [[ESAT Personalities S]]  
  
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 +
 +
Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
  
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
 
Return to [[Main Page]]

Latest revision as of 06:12, 26 March 2024

Barney Simon (1932-1995) [1] was an artistic director, writer, copywriter, teacher, and co-creator of the Market Theatre in Johannesburg.

One of the most influential figures in South Africa theatre from the 1970s to the 1990s.

Not to be confused with the well known disk jockey and radio personality, Barney Simon (197*-)[2]

Biography

Born in Johannesburg, he began studying architecture at University of the Witwatersrand and later University of Natal, but dropped out before graduating. He had begun writing stories by this time. Went to London in 1959 to study photography and film editing. Inspired by working as a stage hand for Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop at the Theatre Royal, he returned in 1961 to join Union Artists, where he and Ian Bernhardt set up the Phoenix Players. Working as copywriter in the day, he helped at The Rehearsal Room at Dorkay House in the evenings.

Here he met Athol Fugard, helping him with The Blood Knot and directing Fugard in Krapp's Last Tape (Beckett) and the first production of Fugard’s Hello and Goodbye. He also did Phiri (19*) and Edward Albee's The Death of Bessie Smith.

In 1968-1970 he spent time in the USA, directing plays by Fugard. (e.g. Hello and Goodbye with Martin Sheen) and became associated editor of the New York Literary Review.

He returned to South Africa in 1970 on the death of his father, becoming involved with doing health education sketches in rural Transkei and KwaZulu (1973-4), while doing freelance writing and directing for the Space Theatre (e.g directing Medea, writing and directing Miss South Africa) and PACT, where he agreed to work on experimental projects in The Arena. (These included Büchner’s Woyzeck (1973). However, he did not enjoy working in the state funded system as his heart lay in non-racial theatre, therefore he and Mannie Manim set up The Company in 1974, The Market Theatre in 1976 (with Barney as Artistic Director) and the Market Theatre Laboratory.

Barney died in June 1995.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

Besides his management and educational roles, Simon has written, workshopped/facilitated and directed an enormous number of plays, among them some of the most iconic South African plays of the 20th century.

Plays directed for The Space Theatre include Medea (1977), Call Me Woman and at People's Space Savage Love (1980).

Among the work he did for The Company were Hey Listen! (1974), The Maids and Antigone (by Jean Anouilh) (In The Blue Fox, 1975).

During this time he also did freelance advertising work for extra income.

In 1976 Simon and Mannie Manim opened The Market Theatre and his production of Weiss’s Marat/Sade (1976) opened the main theatre.

Simon became the Artistic Director and a trustee of the Market Theatre Foundation.

Besides his administrative duties he regularly directed and produced workshopped plays for the Market Theatre, including Cincinatti – Scenes from City Life through improvisation with the cast (1979), Vroue van Troje (“Women of Troy”, 197*), Woza Albert (198*), Born in the RSA (1985), Outers (198*), Black Dog-Inj'emnyama! (1984), Starbrites (1994), Singing the Times (19**), Eden and Other Places (198*), ***, *East (Berkoff, 1995) *The Island (Fugard, 1995), The Suit (Can Themba, 1995).

At the same time his continuing interest in community theatre and development programmes found expression in projects such as the Winterveld Project (1979*???) and the Market Theatre Laboratory, which he began in 1989. This was a training facility for young theatre practitioners which produced numerous new works and performers and worked with them till his untimely death.

His published works include a collection of short stories (Joburg Sis!, 1953), some of which were later dramatized as well, the widely anthologized Woza Albert! and Born in the RSA: Four Workshopped Plays (1997).

He acted as assistant stage manager, together with Percy Tucker on James Ambrose Brown’s Governor of the Black Rock which was directed by Leon Gluckman for the East Rand Theatre Club in 1953. He directed Jean Genet’s The Maids with Molly Seftel, Barbara Itzler and Maya Obel for PACT at the Arena around 1971. He used the Doornfontein Arena for The Company circa 1971.

He directed Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona’s workshopped play, Sizwe Banzi is Dead, starring Kani and Ntshona. It was brought to Johannesburg by Ian Bernhardt for the Phoenix Players and was staged at the Men’s Common Room at Wits University in November 1972. He directed Six Characters in Search of an Author at the Alexander Theatre in 1973. Together with Mannie Manim as administrative director he formed The Company as artistic director within the Arena Theatre. It had a core company of actors – Aletta Bezuidenhout, Vanessa Cooke, Leonie Hofmeyr, David Eppel, Judith Cornell, Janice Honeyman, Sue Kiel, Danny Keogh, Lindsay Reardon and John Oakley-Smith.

He directed Lysistrata for The Company at the Arena Theatre in 1974. He directed Arthur Miller’s The Crucible for PACT starring Marius Weyers, Patrick Mynhardt, Michael McCabe, Aletta Bezuidenhout and Michele Maxwell in 1975. The Company was awarded a premises for The Market Theatre in 1975.

He directed Pleasure and Repentance, a fund-raising show, which was staged at the Market Theatre in a back room of the unfinished theatre on 4 January 1976. The cast comprised Michael McCabe, Ron Smerczak, Keith Blundell and Janet Suzman. His production of Chekhov’s The Seagull starring Erica Rogers, Vanessa Cooke, Sandra Prinsloo, Bill Brewer, Marius Weyers, Danny Keogh, Lindsay Reardon and Bess Finney was the opening production at Upstairs at the Market on 21 June 1976. He then staged The Crucible later that same year.

The official opening of the Market Theatre was on 19 October 1976 and Simon directed The Company’s production of Peter Weiss’s Marat/Sade starring Kenneth Hendel, Wilson Dunster and Sandra Prinsloo. The Company presented his revival of People are Living There with Yvonne Bryceland, Wilson Dunster, Vanessa Cooke and Danny Keogh at the Market Theatre in 1977. He directed Brecht’s Mother Courage with Yvonne Bryceland and Aletta Bezuidenhout in 1977. It was staged in the main house at the Market Theatre. He then directed an Afrikaans translation of The Women of Troy starring Aletta Bezuidenhout, Jana Cilliers, Grethe Fox, Sandra Prinsloo and Wilna Snyman at the Market Theatre later that same year. He directed Murray Schisgal’s Broadway comedy Luv with Wilson Dunster, Janice Honeyman and James White. It was a co-production by The Company and the Academy and staged at Upstairs at the Market in 1977. His production of Albee’s The Death of Bessie Smith starring Janet Suzman, John Kani and Winston Ntshona was staged at the Market Theatre in 1979. He directed Vivian Solomons and Wilma Stockenström in Fugard’s Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act at The Market in 1979. He directed Cincinatti – Scenes from City Life starring Vanessa Cooke, Marcel van Heerden, Danny Keogh, Lesley Nott, Barrie Shah, Thoko Ntshinga, Bo Petersen, Sam Williams and Robin Smith for The Company at The Market in 1979.

He directed Stephen Gray’s Cold Stone Jug for a Market Theatre-Baxter Theatre collaboration in 1981. He directed Woza Albert! developed by Mbongeni Ngema and Percy Mtwa at the Laager in 1981. Together with Janice Honeyman he directed Marico Moonshine and Mampoer, inspired by certain Herman Charles Bosman stories, at the Market Theatre in 1981. His production of Marsha Norman’s 'night, Mother starring Janice Honeyman and Julie Follansbee was staged at the Laager in September 1983.

The Company presented his Black Dog-Inj'emnyama! at Upstairs at the Market in 1984 before going to the Edinburgh Festival.

He created and directed the documentary workshop production Outers at the Market Theatre, with Nicky Rebelo and the cast, which opened in March 1985. The cast consisted of Nicky Rebelo (Klerks), Marius Weyers (Hennie), Gys de Villiers (Bles), Marié Human (Charmaine), Lida Meiring (Auntie Gwen), Marcel van Heerden (Boytie), James Whyle (Richard). Designed by Anita Berman. Lighting design by Mannie Manim.

Together with his cast which included Fiona Ramsay, Vanessa Cooke, Timmy Kwebulana, Gcina Mhlophe, Terry Norton, Thoko Ntshinga and Neil McCarthy he wrote Born in the RSA which opened at Upstairs at the Market in August 1985 before moving to the main theatre.

The Company presented his production of The Dybbuk in 1986. He directed Athol Fugard’s The Blood Knot for PACT in 1988. He directed David Lan’s Flight at the Market Theatre in 1988. His fable, Starbrites, was staged at the Market Theatre in September 1990. He directed Dorfman’s Death and the Maiden at Upstairs at the Market in 1992. He directed Mothobi Mutloatse’s adaptation of The Suit in 1993.

He also directed Happy Days, Oedipus, The Trojan Women.


As Playwright

Original plays include:

Phiri (a black musical version of Volpone, 1972)

Hey, Listen... (1974)


Adaptations:

Stephen Gray's Cold Stone Jug


Collaborations include:

People (1973)

Storytime

Call Me Woman (1979)

Cincinatti – Scenes from City Life (1979)

Woza Albert! (1981)

The Lion and the Lamb (1993)

Awards, etc

He won best director at the DALRO Awards for Cincinatti – Scenes from City Life.

He was honoured with a Vita Award (National), award year 1994-1995. (Moyra Fine Award for Outstanding Contribution).

Barney Simon Exhibition, Barney! produced by NELM in 1996 in commemoration of Barney Simon [1932 - 1995].

Three-times winner of the Breytenbach Epathlon for best director.

Sources

F.C.L. Bosman, 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [3]: pp.

Beeld, 10 January 1985.

Mona De Beer, 1995.

Mary Benson, 1997.

Tucker, 1997.

Stephanou & Henriques 2005.

Outers programme notes in 1985.

Barry Hough. 1985. "Simon kry groot name vir drama", Beeld (Kalender, p.1) 10 January, 1985.

Photographs of the cast held by NELM: [Collection: SIMON, Barney]: 1995. 11. 13. 4. 13.

Woza Albert! 1983. Methuen.


Numerous entries in the NELM catalogue.

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