Market Theatre 50th Anniversary
THE MARKET THEATRE AT 50:
A Golden Jubilee of Courage, Art and Survival
There are anniversaries, and then there are milestones so significant that they become part of a nation's history.
The celebration of fifty years of the Market Theatre was not simply a birthday party. It was a homecoming. A reunion. A remembrance. A declaration that against every imaginable obstacle—apartheid, censorship, financial collapse, political uncertainty and economic hardship—the Market Theatre endured.
For one unforgettable evening, the Main Theatre became a living museum of South African storytelling.
Before a single speech was delivered, before a note of music was sung, before a spotlight illuminated the stage, audiences were greeted by a wonderfully theatrical surprise. Hawkers enthusiastically sold vegetables and fruit throughout the auditorium, recreating the bustling atmosphere that gave the Market Theatre its name. It was immersive, joyful and deeply nostalgic. The energy was electric. One could almost feel the ghosts of five decades of performances moving through the building.
The Market Theatre was alive.
And perhaps it has never felt more alive.
The Theatre That Refused to Bow
Founded in 1976 by the visionary partnership of Barney Simon and Mannie Manim, the Market Theatre emerged in one of the darkest periods of South African history.
The country was divided by apartheid.
The arts were censored.
Voices were silenced.
Yet in an old produce market in Newtown, Johannesburg, a radical idea took shape.
Create a theatre where stories could be told honestly.
Create a theatre where artists of all races could work together.
Create a theatre where truth mattered more than fear.
From those ideals emerged what would become known around the world as "The Theatre of the Struggle."
The Market Theatre became one of the few spaces where South Africans could see themselves reflected honestly on stage.
Here, theatre became resistance.
Here, theatre became memory.
Here, theatre became freedom.
The Giants Who Built The House
The evening reminded everyone that great institutions are built by extraordinary people.
The names honoured throughout the celebration read like a Hall of Fame of South African theatre.
Athol Fugard.
John Kani.
Winston Ntshona.
Mannie Manim.
Barney Simon.
Janice Honeyman.
Paul Slabolepszy.
Fatima Dike.
Gcina Mhlophe.
Mbongeni Ngema.
Zakes Mda.
Gregory Maqoma.
William Kentridge.
Pieter-Dirk Uys.
Janet Suzman.
Percy Mtwa.
Lara Foot.
Ismail Mahomed.
And so many others who shaped the artistic soul of the nation.
Each name represents countless rehearsals, impossible deadlines, difficult conversations, creative breakthroughs and personal sacrifices.
Together they built far more than a theatre.
They built a legacy.
The First Fifty Honourees
The celebration paid tribute to an extraordinary group whose contributions helped shape the Market Theatre's first fifty years:
Aletta Bezuidenhout
Vanessa Cooke
Judith Cornell
Fatima Dike
David Eppel
Jules Feiffer
Lara Foot
Athol Fugard
Bobby Heaney
Leonie Hofmeyer
Janice Honeyman
John Kani
William Kentridge
Sibongile Khumalo
Thandi Klaasen
Bruce Koch
Sue Kriel
Annabel Lebethe
Grahame Lindop
Christine McDonald
Gregory Maqoma
Motlalepule Makhate
Ismail Mahomed
Mannie Manim
Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni
Zakes Mda
Zane Meas
Gcina Mhlophe
Penny Morris
Nthati Moshesh
Percy Mtwa
Mothobi Mutloatse
Seelan Naidoo
Seipati Ncube
Sibusiso Ndumndum
Nomsa Nene
Mbongeni Ngema
Pamela Nomvete
John Oakley-Smith
Lindsay Reardon
Sarah Roberts
Minky Schlesinger
Regina Sephight
Mncedisi Shabangu
Zodwa Shongwe
Barney Simon
Mary Slack
Janet Suzman
Pieter-Dirk Uys
Together they form part of the foundation upon which generations of South African artists continue to stand.
The Plays That Changed A Nation
Throughout the evening, audiences were reminded why the Market Theatre matters.
Because of the stories.
Stories that challenged power.
Stories that preserved memory.
Stories that inspired hope.
The stage came alive once more with tributes to legendary productions that helped define South African theatre.
Marabi.
Sophiatown.
Nothing But The Truth.
Sarafina!
MANTSOPA.
The Coat.
Woza Albert!
Born in the RSA.
Asinamali!
The Island.
Coal Yard.
Rise '76.
And many more.
These productions are not merely plays.
They are chapters in the history of South Africa.
They are archives of lived experience.
They are acts of remembrance.
To witness excerpts and celebrations of these classics was to witness history itself taking a bow.
A Standing Ovation for Mbongeni Ngema
One of the most emotional moments of the evening arrived when the original cast of Sarafina! returned to the stage.
The audience erupted.
A roar of applause filled the theatre.
For a brief moment time seemed to stand still.
The celebration became a tribute not only to the production itself but also to the extraordinary legacy of Mbongeni Ngema.
Sarafina! was more than a musical.
It became an international phenomenon.
It carried the story of South Africa's youth into theatres across the world.
Seeing its original cast reunited was a powerful reminder of the impact South African theatre has had on global stages.
An Evening of Legends
The programme unfolded like a procession of giants.
The evening opened with a warm and inspiring address from Market Theatre Foundation Council Chairperson Florence Masebe.
Then came a parade of artistic excellence.
John Kani.
Greg Homann.
Malcolm Purkey.
Veterans and visionaries.
Artists and activists.
Storytellers and dreamers.
Every appearance was met with admiration.
Every speech carried history.
Every moment reminded audiences that the Market Theatre has always been greater than any individual.
It is a collective achievement.
A national treasure built by thousands of hands.
The Years of Survival
Yet perhaps the most remarkable story told during the evening was not artistic.
It was financial.
Because there were many moments when the Market Theatre should have disappeared.
Many moments when the doors could have closed forever.
Many moments when bankruptcy seemed inevitable.
Instead, people fought for it.
1976 – 1986
Building a Theatre Without State Support
The Market Theatre was established largely without government support.
Founders Barney Simon and Mannie Manim worked relentlessly to secure resources.
Artists accepted modest fees.
Sometimes no fees at all.
People believed in the mission.
The theatre survived because of passion.
1987
A Dedicated Fundraising Drive Begins
Financial pressures intensified.
Supporters rallied.
Fundraising became essential.
The theatre's survival increasingly depended upon local and international friends.
1988
The Market Goes International
Global recognition attracted new supporters.
International foundations, cultural organisations and donors recognised the importance of preserving this unique artistic institution.
1994
Democracy and New Opportunities
With democracy came renewed hope.
The Market Theatre's role in documenting and resisting apartheid was widely acknowledged.
Support expanded.
New partnerships emerged.
1998
Another Financial Crisis
Economic realities once again threatened operations.
Emergency interventions and fundraising efforts prevented collapse.
The theatre survived.
Again.
2001
A Landmark Corporate Partnership
Corporate South Africa increasingly recognised the value of supporting the arts.
Private-sector partnerships became critical to long-term sustainability.
2004
Confronting Bankruptcy
One of the most difficult periods in the institution's history.
The possibility of closure became frighteningly real.
Yet artists, administrators, supporters and donors refused to surrender.
2005
A Turning Point
Restructuring efforts, improved governance and renewed partnerships helped stabilise the institution.
The future looked brighter.
2006 To The Present
The Market Theatre entered a new chapter.
Continued support from government agencies, the National Lottery, foundations, corporations, international cultural organisations and loyal audiences helped sustain one of South Africa's most important cultural institutions.
The Friends Who Kept The Lights On
The celebration acknowledged countless organisations and individuals who ensured the Market Theatre survived.
The National Lottery.
The Rockefeller Foundation.
Corporate partners including Johnnie Walker.
International arts foundations.
Private philanthropists.
Foreign cultural agencies.
South African businesses.
Audience members.
Ordinary citizens.
And perhaps most importantly, artists themselves.
There were times when actors worked for little or no compensation.
Directors sacrificed personal income.
Creative teams accepted enormous hardship.
They did so because they understood what was at stake.
The survival of the Market Theatre was never simply about preserving a building.
It was about preserving a voice.
A President Among Artists
The significance of the evening was reflected in the distinguished guests in attendance.
Former President Thabo Mbeki joined the celebration.
His presence underscored the profound role the Market Theatre has played in South Africa's democratic journey.
This was a night of glamour.
A night of elegance.
A night of national importance.
But above all it was a night of gratitude.
Fifty Years Later
As the celebrations drew toward their conclusion, one truth became impossible to ignore.
The Market Theatre has never belonged to a single generation.
Each generation inherited it.
Protected it.
Expanded it.
And passed it forward.
For fifty years it has given South Africans a place to laugh.
To cry.
To remember.
To argue.
To dream.
To heal.
To imagine a better country.
Many theatres produce shows.
Only a handful help shape a nation.
The Market Theatre is one of those rare institutions.
Fifty years after its founding, the old market still trades in something priceless.
Truth.
And on this remarkable evening, surrounded by legends, artists, presidents, dreamers and audiences, that truth stood centre stage once again.
The applause was thunderous.
The memories were eternal.
And the story of the Market Theatre continues.
