EASTBOURNE EXHIBITION
William Gear: The Painter that Britain Forgot
Towner
Devonshire Park, College Road
July 18-September 27
This exhibition marks the birth centenary of William Gear, one of the leading abstract British painters of his generation. It traces the influence and prolific output of a now little-known painter who was associated with CoBrA in the 1940s and produced some of the most radical and controversial compositions of the 1950s. The centrepiece of the exhibition is Autumn Landscape (detail, pictured), a work that caused a public outcry when awarded the Festival of Britain Purchase Prize in 1951. Also on show is his work as printmaker — Gear was the first British artist to present screen prints as works of fine art. Free.
townereastbourne.org.uk

LANCASTER THEATRE
Oliver Twist
Williamson Park
Until August 15
If you fancy a bit of Dickens in the open air, this “walkabout” production should do the trick. In an adaptation by Debbie Oates, Dickens’s characters — Fagin, the Artful Dodger, Nancy, Bill Sykes and the hideous Mr Bumble — lead the audience on a journey through the open-air setting of Williamson Park, transformed into Dickensian England with a Northern twist. It’s a theatrical experience firmly in The Dukes Playhouse tradition of providing open-air productions for all the family which have attracted more than 500,000 people since 1987.
dukes-lancaster.org.

MEXBOROUGH FESTIVAL
Ted Hughes Poetry Festival
Mexborough Business Centre
College Road
Until July 5
This first-ever poetry festival explores the late poet Ted Hughes’s formative years in Mexborough while also presenting performances by some of the best contemporary poets around, including Ian Parks, David Morley, Cathy Galvin, Andrew Oldham, Lyndsey Holland, Gaia Holmes, Rory Waterman, Ian Duhig, Kim Moore, Zaffar Kunial, Ray Hearne, Helen Mort (pictured) and Matthew Clegg. There are also talks, workshops, an art exhibition, pop-up performances, music, a screening of Sylvia, the film on his wife Sylvia Plath, a dance premiere and an open mic event. Highly impressive programme, should be well worth a visit — and many of the events are free.
tedhughesproject.org

NORTH SHIELDS/TOURING THEATRE
Hadaway Harry
The Low Light Tavern
Brewhouse Bank
July 4-5
That great Geordie anthem The Blaydon Races was written for north-east sporting legend Harry Clasper, who died in 1870 at the age of 58. Now his prowess as “the greatest rower of his generation” is marked in this new show which tours the region until July 11. Clasper, a former miner who took part in the great pit strike of 1831, came to fame with his three brothers and his “awld” Uncle Ned when they went to London and brought the coveted world rowing championship title back to the region in June 1845. “Harry’s is a story of the underdog fighting against all the odds to become a world champion,” says writer Ed Waugh. It’s only a tenner to see the show, so best get in quick.
edwaughandtrevorwood.co.uk