Entertainment Guide to Kingston

Cinema

Extremely popular with the locals, Kingston's cinemas feature a good smattering of Hollywood hits. Most are located uptown with tickets selling for cheap. Expect an intermission and to stand for the National Anthem. The most comfortable include the five screen Carib Cinema on Cross Roads, and the Palace Cineplex at the Sovereign Centre on Hope Road. Better still, there is a popular drive-in for breezy night time movie watching at Harbour View (situated a little outside of Kingston).

The Arts

Kingston has a vibrant art scene. Kick off with a visit to Kingston's National Gallery. The Jamaican School can be found on the first floor. Here are works by the school's leader, the sculptress Edna Manley, as well as paintings by the self-taught primitive John Dunkley, a Kingston barber who started off by painting his entire shop with colorful organic forms before moving on to canvas. More mystical in feel are the works of sect leader 'Kapo' Reynolds (his figurines made of wood are particularly enchanting), and Albert Artwell, Everald Brown, David Pottinger and Osmond Watson—all of who use Rastafarian symbolism in their paintings. The entrance fee is by contribution—usually USD .75 minimum. It is recommended that you get a guide to show you around. Their services are free, though tipping is a good idea.

Rastafarian art can be seen also at Bolivar Art Gallery, which holds works by many of the leading Jamaican artists. The Grosvenor Gallery shows both permanent and temporary exhibitions by renowned figures, or stop by the Contemporary Art Centre, owned by a local painter, and always showing some interesting exhibits.

Some of the leading hotels are good venues of artistic expression. The Jamaica Pegasus on Knutsford Blvd has a basement gallery housing regular exhibitions of Jamaican art, while the neighboring Hilton Kingston Hotel possesses a great collection of works by Portland artist Ken Abendana Spencer in its lobby.

Events

Time your visit to coincide with one of Kingston's many festivals.

In January, the National Gallery stages its Annual National Exhibition, a showpiece for both new artists and the more established crew.

February is the month for the Bob Marley Birthday Bash, held at the Bob Marley Museum and around the island. Celebrations concentrate on the late musician's birthday on 6th February. His son Ziggy often performs with his band the Melody Makers. February is also the month for the University of the West Indies Carnival. This annual celebration feature steel bands, parades, mas players, soca jump ups and the choosing of a carnival king and queen.

April sees the carnival proper bursting onto the streets of Jamaica. The festivities kick off early in the month, with costume parades and all night parties.

July and August set the scene for the Little Theatre's National Dance Theatre Company's season of dance. Check the local paper, The Daily Gleaner, for details of their performances. August: The Independence Day Street Parade on August 6th wends its way through the streets of central Kingston with costumed parades and Junkanoo.

December is the month for the Devon House Christmas Fair, and the "don't miss" annual pantomime staged at the Ward Theatre (which moves to the Little Theatre in February).

Music

Music abounds in Kingston. Its unofficial title, "Nashville of the Third World," points to the numerous recording studios that have blossomed throughout the city and that have given birth to new titles and bands almost every month of the year. As with the rest of the island, buses double as mobile discotheques, and shops and bars blast reggae, ska and dancehall (types of music) from mammoth speakers pumped up to the highest possible decibel. You can get a good idea of Jamaican music just from wandering the streets of Kingston. Better still, hit some clubs to hear live bands perform.

The current big rhythm in Jamaica is dancehall, a compulsive, somewhat monotonous rap linked to a danceable reggae beat. You'll find it nearly impossible to understand the lyrics unless you are familiar with patois (the Jamaican dialect). The songs mostly address everyday issues like corruption, sex and money, often with a controversial message—one of the reasons why dancehall is so popular.

Reggae developed during the 1970s as singers like Bob Marley and the Wailers and Jimmy Cliff gained popularity throughout the island. By the time of Bob Marley's death in 1981, reggae had achieved international acclaim. Both the Bob Marley Museum and the Tuff Gong Recording Studios, run by Marley's son Ziggy, are well worth a visit (see Recommended Tours).

Friday night is the time to catch live music in town (expect to pay around USD 2-USD 5 entry fee) and the daily newspaper, The Gleaner, gives good listings, particularly for dancehall venues. Remember that the scene doesn't really start to shift until around midnight. There is also a good retro scene where vintage oldies pull in the nostalgia crowd.

Clubs include Asylum, a very popular club, packing in the crowds on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The Countryside Club, close to Half Way Tree, is a well-designed outdoor venue featuring live music, including Latin (Cuban) on Thursdays.

Extremes in Portmore is a popular out-of-town local disco with dancehall on Sunday nights. The Junkanoo Lounge in the Hilton Kingston Hotel is popular with an older, more international clientele. It attracts an older clientele who come for the Latin beat on Saturdays. The club also features Salsa, Lambada and Merengue.

Theater & Dance

Kingston has a year-round calendar of lively theater and performance, mostly with a local flavor. Plays often incorporate dance and include a message—sometimes concentrating on the tribulations of the poorer classes, or commentary on the slave era. That said, many performances are bawdy, upbeat affairs, and whatever your tastes, be it comedy, tragedy, sexual romp or political satire, there will surely be something to suit. Most of the plays feature Jamaican patois, but not so that you won't understand what's going on in a general sense.

Jamaican pantomime is a distinctive art form completely different from British pantomime, though there are nods in the direction of traditional fairytales from the British Isles. Folklore is prominent, audience participation high, and song, dance and satirical stabs at the political scene are rife.

Jamaican dance covers classical, African and contemporary forms. Kingston is blessed with having the acclaimed National Dance Theatre Company based at the Little Theatre. The troupe, famed for its elaborate, colorful costumes and African themes, was founded in 1962. The dancers have given worldwide performances under the directorship of Rex Nettleford.

The Ward Theatre north of Parade features the city's primary annual pantomime (running December through April), Jamaican folk singers and other kinds of performance. The Little Theatre is home to the NDTC, whose season runs from mid July to mid August, with performances also in November and December. The Barn Theatre on Oxford Road features lively folk and jazz performances by the University Singers as well as shows by the Cari-folk Singers, a troupe renowned for preserving traditional Jamaican folksong.

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