Plymouth
Entertainment

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Whatever your taste in entertainment, Plymouth likely has something to offer you. Here you can find drama, opera, classical and pop concerts, musicals, comedy, pantomime and dance. There are nightclubs galore, pubs featuring live music, a casino and bingo halls, a choice of at least 18 general cinema screens, not to mention the art house films on offer.

The Theatre Royal is a real asset to the city, staging top class entertainment in drama, opera, music and dance. Every year the Royal Shakespeare Company brings its Autumn season here; the Glynbourne Touring Opera and Birmingham Royal Ballet are also regular visitors.

The Drum Theatre is renowned for new and experimental productions that work so well in its intimate venue. They even offer free tickets to the public sometimes.

The Athenaeum is home to many of the local amateur theatrical companies, all of whom do excellent performances of very high caliber. Parents and other adoring relatives of young performers also beat a path to its door at regular intervals to watch offspring display their musical, dancing and theatrical talents. You can also see art house films here and attend fascinating talks in the lecture hall.

The Barbican Theatre is another small community theatre with unique youth involvement. There are also many community performances based here, including an annual pantomime.

The Pavilions has a host of activities on offer. With room for more than 3,000 people, it is an ideal venue for concerts, comedy shows, international singing stars and pop groups, as well as symphony concerts and classical music recitals. It is also Plymouth's favorite venue for spectator sports. If you are visiting with children or partners who may not share your love of snooker, Steps or Shostakovich, let them enjoy the other activities on offer at the Pavilions, like the Alpine style ice rink or the leisure pool with flumes and wave machine.

Concerts, mostly classical, but some contemporary, are also held weekly at the City Museum & Art Gallery. There is a whole range of lunchtime concerts as well as the usual evening ones, where you can hear choral performances by famous singers and musical recitals by artists of great renown. While you are there, be sure to take in some of the wonderful exhibitions.

Another place popular for concerts is the historic city church St.Andrew's. Its vaulted ceiling lends itself to great acoustic performances, particularly organ recitals and large choral works. Phone the church office for details of performances.

If it's films you are after, you're spoilt for choice here. The Warner Village Cinema is a multiplex at the Barbican Leisure Park, which has 15 screens to choose from, showing a full range of all the latest releases throughout the day and evening. Within the same site you can also enjoy ten pin bowling and Quasar at Megabowl.

While the ABC Cinema has only three screens is conveniently located right in the city centre, and is also very reasonably priced.

Plymouth Arts Centre is the place for foreign and cult films, with a good selection showing every week. This is the largest of the regional film archives. While you are there, be sure to visit the exhibitions of art and sculpture in the gallery and the restaurant. This is also a popular venue for poetry readings and other literary workshops.

Excellent music can be heard on the streets for free. Although most are local Plymothians, you will also find colorful African drummers or South American pan pipers. You may also see fire jugglers, mime artists or magicians. You will find them everywhere in the pedestrianised centre of town. Local bands and orchestras also play regularly in the specially created space just up from the famous Sundial.

There are many music festivals in and around Plymouth, including a Jazz Festival every year at Saltram House, in the eastern part of the city. You will often find pop concerts or radio roadshows on Plymouth Hoe, and also in Central Park.

Plymouth has first-rate live music in its pubs and clubs. The China House, the Maritime, the Bank and the Thistle Park Tavern all will provide some quality entertainment most nights of the week.

Plymouth's Union Street is known for its nightlife. It used to be renowned for having more nightclubs, pubs, bars and probably fights than any street in Britain. It may be a little quieter now, but it is still thriving, and the place to find roaring nightlife until the early hours of the morning. Nightclubs come and go in this area, but you may want to check out Millennium or Dance Academy to start. The nightclubs are a great place for some energetic dancing, as are some of the wine bars, while salsa dancing is all the rage at the Club Fandango. But for the older or more sedate, you will find regular sessions of Latin American, Sequence and Ballroom dancing at the Wharf in Tavistock.

If you are partial to a flutter you can wager your money until the early hours at the Grand Casino, or put your 'eyes down' at the Gala Bingo, and possibly win more for less! Both establishments have refreshments of all kinds on offer to ease the parting of you from your money.

There are also many fine entertainment venues right outside of the city. The Sterts Arts and Environmental Centre in Cornwall has excellent al fresco performances of drama and music, but don't worry, the venue is well sheltered, although taking cushions is recommended!

If you need a laugh a drive to Exeter will take you to the Timepiece Comedy Club, where you can enjoy original material from a host of celebrities more often seen on TV.

The Wharf Arts Centre is about a 20-minute drive from Plymouth, in Tavistock. Here you'll find a wealth of musical experiences of all kinds, as well as literary gatherings.

So, whatever form of entertainment you may choose, Plymouth is sure to have something you are guaranteed to enjoy. With its wealth of top theatres and entertainment venues, it is definitely the cultural and entertainment capital of the Southwest.