Scottish group with learning disabilities to perform Peer Gynt

A group of adults with learning disabilities are heading to Norway as the only UK group to take part in ‘Peer for Alle’ – an outdoor performance of Peer Gynt. A group of 16 people from Newton Dee Camphill community in Aberdeen, which provides housing, employment and personal development opportunities to people with learning disabilities, will travel 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, August 13, 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. This is the second time Newton Dee has taken part in ‘Peer for Alle’; 2 years ago they group performed the Troll scene. Russell Pooler, a co-worker at Newton Dee, who is co-ordinating the group’s involvement in the concert said: “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 5 days we are there.”