Basil Jones

Basil Jones is a South African actor, playwright, and director. He is best known for co-founding the Handspring Puppet Company with Adrian Kohler in 1981. Jones was born in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1954. He attended the University of Cape Town, where he studied drama and English literature.

Jones and Kohler met while working on a production of "Faustus in Africa" in 1981. They decided to form their own company, which eventually became the Handspring Puppet Company. The company has since become internationally renowned for its innovative use of puppets in theater productions.
Jones has directed several productions for the Handspring Puppet Company, including "Woyzeck on the Highveld," "Ubu and the Truth Commission," and "Or You Could Kiss Me." These productions have been performed in theaters around the world, including the National Theatre in London and the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York.
In addition to his work with the Handspring Puppet Company, Jones has also acted in several productions. He appeared in the South African film "The Road to Mecca" in 1991, and in the television series "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" in 2008.
Jones has received numerous awards for his work in theater, including a Tony Award for Best Puppet Design for the play "War Horse" in 2011. "War Horse" was a collaboration between the Handspring Puppet Company and the National Theatre of Great Britain, and went on to become an international sensation.
Jones' most recent work includes the production "Chalk About" with the company Oily Cart, which premiered in London in 2017.