This weekend sees the launch of the St Magnus Festival’s large-scale community project for 2004 – a music-theatre production based on the Norwegian tale Peer Gynt and adapted specially for the festival.

Glenys Hughes, Festival Director said Peer Gynt was an ideal project for involving a large cast of adults and children.

“There are singing roles, speaking roles, opportunities for dance and movement and some big chorus scenes,’’ she said.

“And, of course, given Orkney’s strong Norwegian links, it’s a very appropriate theme for a St Magnus production.

‘We’ve been fortunate enough to receive a major Scottish Arts Council grant towards the project and so we hope to make it as spectacular and exciting a show as we can.”

Music has been specially commissioned from Edinburgh-based composer Ken Dempster, who will also act as musical director of the show.

Stage direction will be in the hands of London-based actor and director Cengiz Saner, who has been condensing Ibsen’s epic play into a manageable two-hour script.

Mr Dempster has added a musical score which will be played by an ensemble made up of Scottish Chamber Orchestra players and local musicians.

The two will be supported by a strong local production team.

Mrs Hughes added that, although casting readings would not be held until January, this weekend’s meetings would enable those interested in taking part, whether on stage or behind the scenes, to meet the director and composer, hear some of the music and find out about production plans.

Meetings will be held in Stromness Church Hall at 3pm today, Saturday, November 15, and in King Street Halls, Kirkwall, at 3pm on Sunday, November 16.

The organisers warmly invite everyone interested in any aspect of the production to come along, Mrs Hughes said.