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66°F / 19°C
(Passing Clouds. Mild.)
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Durban is no London when it comes to the entertainment scene. It has only a smattering of theatres and concert venues, and great nightlife should not be high on your list of expectations when visiting this city. Not to be too harsh, with a little exploration it is possible to find some interesting events at memorable venues. Just don’t expect to see anything that has been on circuit back home.
“What’s On in Durban is a free monthly publication put out by the tourism office and lists a diary of upcoming events. It features live music (jazz, Latin, classical, neo-traditional, African), drum circles, comedians, barn dances, church music, poetry reading, supper dances, sunset classical music concerts and a host of other local events which may take your fancy. The venues for these events are generally quite widely spread out across the city and of the more unusual, small variety rather than a large organized event.
Theatre
Venues include the City Hall, the Playhouse complex which has 5 auditoriums showing a wide range of contemporary and classical theatre, the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, the Langoustine Theatre-by-the-Sea, Natal University, Courtyard Theatre, Backstage Theatre and the Amphitheatre on the beachfront.
Pubs and Theme Bars
If your preferred choice of entertainment comes in liquid form, Durban has a large number of bars and pubs ranging from elite, upmarket affairs in grand hotels, to the more seedier local variety where you can hang our with the everyman-Durbanite and catch up on local gossip. The beachfront area is lined with bars catering to the holiday crowds. They tend to be packed with hordes of young partying singles although those catering for a slightly older crowd are not entirely absent. Bars and cafés around The Playhouse attract a more sophisticated set, many fresh from a performance at the large theatre complex. If you’re looking for a more homely, country pubbish feel, head out into the suburbs of Morningside, Berea and Kloof where businessmen and women stop to catch their breath after a busy day at work. There are also a number of sports bars around the suburbs where you can catch the game on the big screen whilst quaffing your favorite ale. The most charismatic bar in the city is the gritty Victoria Bar, down in the docks on Durban Point. It is attached to a Portuguese restaurant and attracts a crowd of weird and wonderful regulars. Leave your diamonds at home.
Dancing and Live Music
If it’s a bit of dancing or live music that you’re after, once more it’s a good idea to explore the beachfront area. There are multi-level entertainment complexes that draw all kinds of folk, and loud and proud clubs that attract hip crowds including models, glitterati and wannabees. To see and be seen, try Bonkers on Florida Road. There are also a fair number of venues for live African music or jazz, the best of which is Tekweni Junction in Umgeni Road.
Cinema
What Durban can boast is a plentiful supply of cinema complexes. Nearly all the major shopping malls have a number of screens and there tends to be a good range of recent films to choose from. The Workshop, The Wheel, The Pavilion, The Sanlaam Centre, West Street and <The Musgrave Centre all have cinema complexes. They belong to either Ster Kinekor or Nu Metro. French films are screened regularly at the Alliance Francaise. There are also smaller cinemas at the Berea centre or the Shiraz Cinema in Victoria Street.
Durban may not be the hottest spot when it comes to night entertainment, but there should be something to keep everyone satisfied after a long day out sightseeing. If all else fails, there are numerous restaurants to choose from where you can sup on South Africa's marvelous wines and dine on some excellent cuisine.
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