Even with all the work that’s been done to raise awareness and education about the needs and wants of people with learning disabilities, society still insists on making access to life’s pleasures harder for those who do not fit into its conventional norms.

The narrative taps into the ineffable quality of dreams and that short moment between sleep and waking up

Young adults with learning disabilities still struggle to fit in, and are given very few opportunities to develop their emotional and artistic needs.

Opening Doors is an NGO that supports the creative development of people with learning disabilities.

“Opening Doors is the home of a theatre group that is made up of 10 incredible young actors and actresses; 10 young men and women who, despite their learning disabilities, despite the hardships they have to face in life and despite the resistance they have had to fight off, have somehow still managed to forge ahead and make their artistic dream come true.

“It is often mistaken for a drama school,” explains Opening Doors chairman Toni Attard. “But it’s not. It is a theatre group like every other, except that it caters for people with learning disabilities. The 10 actors and actresses who form part of the group have been working together for the past five years, and since then they’ve performed in three shows and have also travelled to Belgium and London to perform in front of a foreign audience.”

Supported by the Malta Arts Fund and St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity, the group will be performing its fourth show, Meta Stejjer Noħlom, a performance of short stories each set in a different environment.

The narrative taps into the ineffable quality of dreams and that short moment between sleep and waking up when we’re still unable to make out what is reality and what was only a dream. Directed by Aldith Gauci and in collaboration with Zizza and Danjeli, the performance unfolds between the actors’ actions and live music.

The group’s first performance held in March 2010 was called L-Iljun Ikkonvertit, which was based on a narrative contributed by Steve White, also an Opening Doors actor.

The second performance was called Jien u Aħna and was held in November 2010. This performance was devised by the group and developed the Opening Doors aesthetic.

They worked with music and scenes created through improvisation on the theme of communication. It explored what it meant to communicate, to fail to communicate and the in-betweens.

The latest and third performance was held in the beginning of last year. This marked a new development in the work of this group.

Called Bejn it-Triq u Jiena,  the performance included people without learning disabilities. The work was presented, devised and performed inclusively and explored themes of romance, relationships, the outwardly social and the inner dynamic.

Previous productions were directed by Lou Ghirlando, assisted by Gauci, Ann Fenech and Roxanne Cole.

Meta Stejjer Noħlom is being held on Friday, Saturday and next Sunday. For tickets call 2122 3200 or e-mail bookings@sjcav.org.

www.sjcav.org