Leaving no page unturned

breathing Life

Is it possible, that by telling these tales, one might indeed save one’s self?” asks  Scheherezade from the ‘Arabian Nights’ trying to save herself from execution.

How she narrates a story (without completing it) night after night is legendary. The power of storytelling has not only lived on, but has risen as a contemporary performing art. And no one can tell that better than UK’s performance storyteller Emily Parrish.

Exploring the ancient art of storytelling as an oral tradition within a contemporary context, she has crossed boundaries, taking influences from the Indian subcontinent and indeed from other parts of the world.

Emily, who was in the City as part of ‘The British Council’s Art of Storytelling India’ tour, lets her energy transfer to the audience every time she narrates a tale. And that by no means is an easy task.

Her composition has been termed superlative while the warmth and the wit in the narrative is never lost. Myths, legends, epics, folktales, fairytales and fables, be it ‘Ramayana’ or African Anansi stories, she has done them all.

Hailing from Kent, Emily talks about how it all began. “When I was young, my mom, who is Swedish, would tell me stories.

I, in turn, narrated then to my younger brother and sister. But it was when I was doing drama at the University of Kent that I discovered the art of performance storytelling and where I met storyteller, Vayu Naidu.

Something sparked,” she says. Needless to add Vayu Naidu’s storytelling classes inspired her hugely. There began her travels in search of stories.

Her stories are varied and rich, which is why it appeals to all ages. Closer home, she had a taste of life in Ladakh and in Kancheepuram, where she spent months working at a school. “I was working at the school and learning from children who perform stories from the ‘Mahabharata’ through music, dance and song.

I could not help notice the absolute passion for stories. These children would take me to temples and tell me stories of gods and goddesses. I love Hindu mythology and the relationship between gods and humans in them — the birth of Ganesha; Durga, who can change into Parvathy; and of Krishna,” she adds.

Her love for Norse mythology too finds echo in her performances. “What is common between Indian and Norse mythology is the creation and destruction, the need for both and the order and chaos that is merged into storytelling. There is a delight in telling stories. The energy comes from the stories,” she adds.

But no amount of preparation guarantees the success of a performance. So how does she hit a story home? Some stories are challenging like myths, legends and epics which can take a long time like two to three years to prepare. Fairytales are easy. And if you a tell a good story well, you will have the audience’s interest,” she adds.

Emily has her hands full after she returns home. “ I have a show in England — ‘Travels with Kali’, the story of Shiva and Parvathy and the birth of Ganesha. I hope to add to the performance with the experience I had in India. But I’d like to return to India later on in the year,” she says.  For another date with mythology!