A GROUP of adults with special needs from Aberdeen’s Newton Dee Camphill community are heading to Norway to take part in “Peer for Alle” – an outdoor performance of Peer Gynt.
The Newton Dee residents will be travelling to Lillehammer, then on to Vinstra where an outdoor concert takes place every year on an open-air stage at Lake Gala as part of the Peer Gynt Festival.
At the end of its eight-day run on Saturday, the professional musicians leave the stage and disabled groups from northern Europe are invited to use the stage and the equipment to perform their own version.
The group from Newton Dee are performing the Morocco scene which tells the story of Peer Gynt’s travels in Morocco.
Up to 800 people are expected to watch their performance.
Russell Pooler, a co-worker at Newton Dee, is co-ordinating the group’s involvement in the concert. He said:
“This is the second time we have taken part in ‘Peer for Alle’. Two years ago Newton Dee took part and performed the Troll scene.
“Everyone has thrown themselves into this project with such enthusiasm.
“A group of us even saved up our holiday money so we could go to Morocco earlier this summer to get a better idea of the culture and also to bring back some props for our performances. The group has developed their own dances and songs for the scene.
“It is quite a challenge to perform to such a large audience at on open air stage, but it is also a great social event too. I am sure we will make a lot of friends over the five days we are there.
“We are really grateful to Maersk Oil and the golf association at Nexen Petroleum UK Ltd who have contributed so generously to make our participation possible.”
