Cairo
Egyptian rock and jazz bands play at this lively and very active complex of a dozen performance spaces and galleries tucked under a bridge overpass. There…
Must-see entertainment in Africa
Essaouira
This beautifully restored medina mansion is the headquarters of the Association Essaouira-Mogador, and plays host to regular art exhibitions, cultural…
Johannesburg
The city’s most important venue for live theatre has three performance spaces (John Kani, Mannie Manim and Barney Simon Theatres) as well as galleries and…
Kampala
Kampala musicians get together every Monday at the National Theatre for informal jams and live performances – a must if you're in the city. The place…
Kampala
There’s a quality program of music, film, dance and drama performances in the theatre itself, but most travellers come here for the popular, free nightly…
Tunis
Seating more than 1000 theatre-goers, this eye-catching art nouveau edifice was designed by French architect Jean-Émile Resplandy at the start of the 20th…
Cape Town
Marco Radebe’s highly popular African restaurant (mains R130 to R170) offers top-class entertainment from a range of singers, dancers and bands each night…
Zambia
For something entirely different, SEKA (Sensitisation and Education through Kunda arts) is a local NGO that organises and conducts performances for the…
Harare
With Zimbabwe regaining its status as a test-playing nation, cricket fans should try to make it to this scenic ground surrounded by jacaranda trees. There…
Abu Simbel
A sound-and-light show is performed nightly at Abu Simbel. Headphones are provided, allowing visitors to listen to the commentary in various languages…
Harare
This is a new space in Harare Gardens for this long-standing theatre company (on hiatus for four years). Plays are held on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday…
Johannesburg
Showcasing up-and-coming performers, fringe productions and other quirky ensembles, POPArt is the kind of place where you see tomorrow’s theatre…
Nairobi
This is Nairobi's major theatre and performing-arts venue. As well as contemporary and classic plays and musicals, there are special events such as beauty…
Cape Town
More than just a live music performance, this nightly show aims to offer visitors an insight into Cape Town's cultural heritage with the chance to meet…
Cairo
Keeping Cairene kids entertained since 1959, this is the Arab world's biggest puppet theatre. Shows are in Arabic but are colourful and animated enough to…
Casablanca
One of the city's must-see architectural gems, this two-tier cinema built in 1929 has been saved and restored to its former art deco splendour, including…
Cape Town
Theo Ndindwa and Tanya Arshamian use dance to change the lives of kids in the townships. On the first Thursday of the month this studio, where classes are…
Al Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe
Cairo
Egypt’s only Sufi dance troupe – more raucous and colourful than the better-known white-clad Turkish dervishes – puts on a mesmerising performance three…
Windhoek
This place used to be a warehouse for the breweries but has been converted into a full-scale, state-of-the-art theatre. The industrial interior and…
Green Point & Waterfront
The Waterfront’s Market Square Amphitheatre is the focus for much free entertainment, including buskers and various musical and dance acts. Apart from the…
Cape Town
Occupying part of the St George's Cathedral’s vaulted stone crypt, this restaurant, which serves a continent-hopping menu of dishes, is best visited for…
Rondavelle Les Filaos – Chez Jean-Paul
Réunion
Like bees to honey, St-Leusiens swarm on this modest, open-air bar close to the beach when live bands perform on Sunday evenings. Good blend of electro,…
Johannesburg
This impressive stadium, just off the M1 freeway to Pretoria, is the city’s most important cricketing venue. Watch from the stands or head to the grassy…
Cape Town
Even if gambling isn’t your thing, there’s plenty to keep you entertained at Grandwest, including a six-screen cinema, many restaurants, a food court, an…
Western Cape
Starting its life as a car showroom in the 1930s, this marvellous art deco building has been reincarnated as a cinema. Movies are shown on Wednesday…
Gaborone
Maitisong (Place of Entertainment) puts on some excellent shows in its large theatre, with events ranging from Shakespearean plays to Batswana music most…
Rainbow Restaurant & Jazz Club
Durban
In Pinetown, 15km west of the centre, this was the first place in Natal to cater to blacks in a so-called ‘white area’ in the 1980s. With a reputation as…
Malawi
Blantyre’s main sports venue is the Kamuzu Stadium, off Makata Rd between the city centre and Limbe. This is also Malawi’s national stadium; international…
Conakry
This humble bar looks completely unspectacular, yet it's where many of Guinea's biggest stars jam at the weekend, in a space overflowing with good vibes…
Free State
Under new ownership in 2017, this live music, theatre and comedy venue attracts quite an evening crowd in otherwise laid-back Bethlehem. It's also got a…
Gonder
Gonder produces Ethiopia’s best azmaris (local minstrels who perform a mix of music and humour). While many end up starring in Addis Ababa, there are…
Rabat
Built in the 1930s, this lovely art deco building was a theatre before being restored and turned in to a cinema, cultural space and cafe. It shows…
Cairo
The Cairo Jazz Club has kept up with the beat, and it has one of the city’s liveliest stages, with modern Egyptian folk, electronica, fusion and more,…
Green Point & Waterfront
This long-running comedy club, which hosts the cream of South Africa's comedy talent, has found a permanent home at the back of the old Pump House next to…
Tunis
Out in the suburb of La Soukra, 'the bull on the roof' is a restaurant with three main spaces: one hosts live acts, one is dedicated to dancing, and the…
Réunion
Attracting mostly Zoreilles (mainland French) regulars, this lively bar is packed to the rafters on weekends. It hosts live bands on Thursday, Friday and…
Gauteng
Aptly named as it sits within spitting distance of the railway tracks, Trackside holds an independent beatmaking and live-music night on the last Thursday…
Réunion
One of Réunion's venues for contemporary theatre, dance and music, as well as puppet shows, circus acts and other cultural activities. The organisers also…
Durban
One of Durban’s more interesting, if unreliable, arty haunts, this venue features semiregular jazz performances – check what’s on before heading down…
Cairo
This excellent cultural centre hosts Sunday evening films (7.30pm), ranging from Dutch art-house features to the latest works by young Egyptian directors …
