Stories and the art of storytelling is something our grandmothers and mothers perfected. Not only is it sheer talent to be able to mesmerise children with stories, but to keep their attention is a big ask too. Now some adults are delving into this world of story telling to take them on a journey to a world of imagination. Tales of the World by the Kathalaya’s International Academy of Storytelling in collaboration with the Indian Music Experience is a show that is a part of the celebration of over 100 batches passing out from the academy. Geeta Ramanujam, an executive director, will be performing along with Seyda Cevik from Turkey. Geeta adds, “We need to be aware that storytelling is not just for kids but for adults too. There are a lot of stories which adults can appreciate. Stories of love, pain, separation which would touch and transform, or what adults can identify with. I will be sharing the stage with Seyda who will be sharing stories from Istanbul.”
This show is a forum for adults to relate with stories of pain, lots of love that does not venture below the belt. Geeta mentions that it won’t be like a stand-up comedy show, it will have wit and humour. It will appeal to the heart which co-relates to the main theme of the show — Stories for the Heart. She goes on to add, “Weaving a narrative around these are stories of transformation, love and separation and all emotions related to humans. Our mythology has a package of all these emotions.” On where she gets her stories from, “There is something known as Upakatha which are little tales from big epics. I will be sharing stories from Greek mythology, the Mahabharata and even Scottish tales,” adds Geeta who also feels that the basic emotion will be the same with every person around the world. But when packed with a story, it has more appeal.
Giving us a small peak into one of the stories that she will be narrating, Geeta says, “I basically do love stories, the love story of Uthasaya and Chandri, who is the Moon’s daughter. I plan to make it a little more exciting with some music too.” As an audience, Geeta says, we can expect a lot music, movements and pure storytelling. Geeta is also an an awardee from the Bookaroo Festival of Children’s Literature in Latin America. Storytelling might have always been associated with children, and not so much with adults and we ask her if the notion has changed over the years, Geeta explains, “When we started in 1996, it was only for adults. I have seen a drastic change because the people who come to get trained are corporates, parents and grandparents. Adults have become a lot more open to just sitting and listening to stories. Having done it for corporates, they mention that it has become a good tool of communication. These days, there are problems with communication. We are not simple, not able to put words in a simple order and not able present things well. Over the years, the need is felt and storytelling has fullfilled that need.”
— The show will take place on January 26 at Indian Music Experience in JP Nagar.
