Prof. Barney Simon†

Introduction: The Architect of Protest Theatre

In the landscape of South Africa's Arts & Culture, few figures loom as large or have had as profound an impact as Prof. Barney Simon†. As the co-founder and artistic heart of Johannesburg's legendary Market Theatre, Simon was not merely a director or writer; he was a cultural revolutionary. His key achievement was establishing and nurturing a "Theatre of the Struggle," a defiant space where multi-racial casts and audiences could gather under apartheid to create and witness works that challenged the oppressive regime. More than a founder, Prof. Barney Simon† was a mentor, a workshop pioneer, and a fearless creative force whose collaborative "devised theatre" method gave voice to the silenced and shaped the narrative of a nation in turmoil. His work transcended entertainment, becoming an essential instrument of social commentary and resistance.

Early Life & Education: Formative Years of a Creative Mind

Barney Simon was born in 1932 in Johannesburg, South Africa, into a Lithuanian-Jewish family. His early environment, marked by the growing racial tensions and legislated segregation of apartheid, deeply informed his future worldview. From a young age, Simon displayed a keen sensitivity to the injustices around him, coupled with an insatiable curiosity about people from all walks of life. His formal education was unconventional and global. He left school early and embarked on a series of formative journeys that would become his real classroom.

In the 1950s, Simon traveled extensively, working odd jobs in London, New York, and across Europe. In New York, he immersed himself in the vibrant off-Broadway theatre scene and studied under the influential acting coach Stella Adler. This exposure to international theatre, particularly the raw, socially engaged works of the time, was catalytic. He returned to South Africa in the early 1960s, not with a rigid theatrical doctrine, but with a fervent belief in theatre's power to reflect and interrogate society. His early work included staging plays in unconventional venues and writing for publications, but his true calling emerged in collaboration and improvisation.

Career & Major Achievements: Building a Theatre of Resistance

The pinnacle of Prof. Barney Simon†'s career was the founding of The Market Theatre in 1976, in a converted Indian fruit market in Johannesburg's culturally mixed but segregated Newtown precinct. Alongside co-founder Mannie Manim, Simon seized a unique historical moment. The space was declared a "theatre" and therefore a "place of public entertainment," which allowed, for the first time, a legal loophole for a multi-racial audience to gather. This was not an accident but a deliberate act of defiance. The Market Theatre became an island of non-racialism in a sea of apartheid law.

Pioneering the Workshop Method and Devised Theatre

Simon's greatest contribution to theatrical practice was his innovative workshop method. He was less a traditional director and more a "midwife" of stories. He would gather actors, often from diverse racial backgrounds, and over weeks of improvisation, discussion, and exploration of personal and political themes, a play would be collectively created, or "devised." This process broke from colonial theatrical traditions and placed lived experience at the center of the art form. Landmark productions born from this method include:

• "Woza Albert!" (1981) - Co-created with Percy Mtwa and Mbongeni Ngema, this seminal two-man satire imagined the second coming of Christ (Morena) in apartheid South Africa. It became an international sensation, winning awards and touring the world, putting South African protest theatre on the global map.
• "Born in the RSA" (1985) - A powerful piece devised from interviews and workshops that wove together the stories of seven South Africans from across the political spectrum, offering a complex portrait of a society at breaking point.
• "Sophiatown" (1986) - This celebrated musical, devised with the Junction Avenue Theatre Company, nostalgically and critically revisited the vibrant, razed multi-racial suburb of Sophiatown, celebrating its cultural legacy.

Championing New Voices and International Acclaim

Under Simon's artistic leadership, The Market Theatre premiered works by a generation of South Africa's most important playwrights, including Athol Fugard, whose plays "Sizwe Banzi Is Dead" and "The Island" were nurtured there. The theatre became a beacon, attracting international attention and acclaim. It earned a reputation as "the theatre that fought a government" and won numerous international awards, including a special Tony Award in 1995 for its exceptional contribution to world theatre. Prof. Barney Simon† served as its Artistic Director until 1995, ensuring its survival through states of emergency and censorship, solidifying its status as a national institution.

Personal Life, Legacy, and Lasting Impact

Barney Simon was famously private yet intensely relational. He was described as a compassionate, chain-smoking workaholic who lived for the theatre. His personal life was inextricably linked to his work; his home was often a meeting place for artists, activists, and thinkers. He had no biological children but was a father figure to countless actors, writers, and directors whom he mentored with unwavering belief. His philanthropy was not monetary but one of time, spirit, and opportunity—giving space, legitimacy, and creative freedom to those the system had marginalized.

The legacy of Prof. Barney Simon† is monumental. He passed away in 1995, just as the new democratic South Africa he had fought for through art was finding its feet. The Market Theatre remains a thriving hub of Arts & Culture. His workshop technique is now a standard pedagogical tool in drama schools worldwide. More importantly, he demonstrated that theatre could be a vital space for ethical inquiry, healing, and the forging of national identity. He taught South Africa to tell its own stories, in its own voices, and in doing so, helped shape the country's cultural conscience. In 1997, he was posthumously awarded the Order of the Baobab in Gold, one of South Africa's highest honors, for his exceptional contribution to the arts and the struggle for democracy.

Net Worth, Business, and Cultural Capital

Assessing the net worth of Prof. Barney Simon† in purely financial terms misses the essence of his contribution. He was not a commercial impresario but a cultural visionary. The Market Theatre was founded as a non-profit trust, and Simon's life was dedicated to art, not accumulation. Any financial success was always reinvested into the theatre's survival and its mission. His true "business" was the cultivation of human and cultural capital. The venture he co-founded created incalculable value: it launched global careers, generated world-renowned intellectual property like "Woza Albert!", and, most significantly, provided the stage for a nation's struggle and transformation. The economic impact of The Market Theatre as a tourist destination and cultural exporter is a direct result of Simon's non-commercial artistic vision. His wealth lies in the enduring power of the stories he helped tell and the institution he built, which continues to be a priceless asset to South Africa's cultural heritage and economy.

Sources: The Market Theatre Foundation archives; South African History Online; "The World in an Orange: Creating Theatre with Barney Simon" by Irene Stephanou; various obituaries and academic analyses of South African protest theatre.