What's on: Things to do across Northern Tasmania this weekend and next

In The Launceston Player's newest play, a writer is dragged into an interrogation room. Detectives say his fiction has been coming true - or, at least, a series of murders have an uncanny similarity to those in his short stories, which makes him chief suspect.

The Pillowman, a new staging coming to the Earl Arts Centre in April, is a work of grisly subject matter, revelations and, funnily enough, humour.

Written by British-Irish playwright Martin McDonagh - now a big screen titan with credits directing and writing Oscar-nominated films like In Bruges - the blackly comedic work is reviving with an all-local cast and crew, helmed by director Mitchell Langley.

The production of The Pillowman arrived at the Earl Arts Centre on April 24. More information and tickets can be found at the Theatre North website.

April 27

For two and half years, Standing with Shazia has raised money each month to send directly to Afghanistan to feed women and their children.

Shazia* was a midwife in Afghanistan until she was forced to leave her job due to ongoing conflict. Two Launceston women reached out to her and began sending a small amount of money each month.

The small monthly donations have continued and this weekend's event aims to establish a larger pool of people willing to donate money.

This Saturday the first fundraiser event will be held at 7 Reserve Street in West Launceston. From 9 am there will be a garage sale that will transition into an afternoon soiree from 12- 6 pm.

Until May 3

Alene Keiser, looking at her painting of a field streaked across with red horizontals, but also orange ones, and yellow, white, royal purple, and prussian blue, commented: "If you can't tell, I'm not afraid of colour."

The painting, Tulip Farm, is an extreme example of the George Town artist's work, which is on display at her latest exhibition, Off The Wall - an eclectic show of hue-brimming landscape scenes.

The Windsor Gallery show, which Keiser has collated from her past, ranges from oils depicting sunset playing on clouds to glowing hillside greenery and pastel beaches, which Keiser painted largely en plein air - or in the outdoors.

Off The Wall is showing at the Windsor Gallery, Riverside, until May 3.

May 1 - 4

The average person will speak 123,205,750 words in a lifetime. But what if there were a limit? Oliver and Bernadette are about to find out.

Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons imagines a world where we're forced to say less.

It's about what we say and how we say it; about the things we can only hear in the silence; about dead cats, activism, eye contact and lemons, lemons, lemons, lemons, lemons.

It premiered at Warwick Arts Centre in 2015 and won three Judges' Awards at the National Student Drama Festival, before appearing at Latitude Festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Camden People's Theatre, London.

"Takes the can opener to a typical opposites-attract romcom in order to explore wider issues of democracy and free speech" - Guardian

Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons opens at IO Performance, Cimitiere Street, for five shows from May 1 to 4.

Final release tickets are still available via Humanitix.

AGFEST

May 2 - 4

Tasmania's biggest agricultural based festival is back soon, and it's bigger and better than ever.

Agfest is a multi-award-winning agricultural field days organised by volunteer members of Rural Youth Tasmania. These young, passionate and innovative members spend countless hours planning, working, managing and promoting the event to ensure everyone enjoys the Agfest experience.

Agfest takes great pride in offering something for everyone to see and do. Whether you are in the market for new machinery, a new vehicle or just interested in seeing what is new on the market, Agfest is the place for you.

Interested in history and where agriculture has come from? The Heritage Display is where you need to go to. Looking for a gift for Mothers Day? The Craft Pavilions showcase some of the best handmade craft Tasmania has to offer.

And when you need to take a break, stop at one of our Quercus Tastes food areas where you can enjoy some great Tasmanian produce.

Agfest 2024 is on May 2 - 4 from 8am - 4pm each day, at Quercus Park 415 Oaks Road Carrick, 7291.

Tickets are now available for Agfest 2024 and will be open for purchase until the last day of the event. Purchase via the Agfest website.