Nairobi City Guide - Culture

The Kenya National Theatre, on Harry Thuku Road (tel: (020) 225 174), is Nairobi's main theatre, and lays on classic and contemporary showings of plays, with the emphasis heavily on Kenyan drama. The Professional Centre on Parliament Road (tel: (020) 241 230) hosts the well-known Phoenix Players theatre group, who regularly perform productions by western and Kenyan playwrights.

The GoDown Arts Centre, in a converted warehouse on Dunga Road (tel: (020) 557 5785), is set up to promote contemporary African art, music and dance. There are also workshops, a recording studio and an art gallery here. The more centrally located Mzizi Arts Centre on Moi Avenue also hosts contemporary dance and musical performance evenings.

Other good art galleries promoting African art include the privately owned Gallery Watatu on Standard Street (tel: (020) 228 737; website: www.gallerywatatu.com) and the Rahimtulla Museum of Modern Art (Ramoma) on Upper Hill Road (tel: (020) 729 181).

Cinemas showing the latest releases include the NuMetro Cinema, Village Market, Gigiri (tel: (020) 522 128), Fox Cineplex in the Sarit Centre in Westlands (tel: (020) 227 959) and Odeon on Latema Road.