Hawaiian master storyteller and puppeteer Jeff Gere doesn't need an excuse to narrate a story. His imagination is at its peak when he is around children. Jeff was a painter, a mime artiste, a performance artiste and an experimental theatre artiste before he turned a full-time storyteller.
This explains why he uses shadow puppets and paper cutouts that always wiggle on an overhead projector, to make shadow shows on the wall during his storytelling sessions.
In Jeff's hands, stories and characters come alive. His animated ways of telling a story not only liven up any dull atmosphere but also do well to fire one's imagination. In the city on an invitation from the Bangalore Storytelling Society, Jeff takes time off to chat with Nina C George about his journey so far.
Tell us about your journey from a painter to a storyteller.
I hold a BA in painting and art history and a Masters degree in performance art. I had the habit of scribbling on pieces of paper and would find the possibility of creating something artistic in about anything lying around. I began by experimenting with two-dimensional art and soon started employing shadow puppetry and use my artwork during the storytelling sessions.
How would you define the art of storytelling?
I believe a story can be told in multiple ways. I find innovative ways of telling the same stories. I play with words and expressions and use the diversity in language to present even the old things in a new format. There's no pretence or artificiality in storytelling.
Your best moments as a storyteller...
You know that you've achieved what you want to as a storyteller, when you see people in the audience with their jaws slightly open with a sense of amusement and their eyes dilating. You instantly know then that they are exercising their imagination and making an effort to translate words into images in their head. I like it when I am with 600 sweaty people in a room and when my muscles ache because I've laughed so much.
How is your experience of telling stories in India?
Stories are an integral part of Indian culture. Everybody, whether a child or an adult, knows the stories of the Mahabharatha' and the Ramayana' like the back of their hand.
It's amazing how there's a story behind every god and every house has a 'rangoli' drawn in front of it so there's a story in there as well.
The best part about being a storyteller...
Storytelling gives you a passport into people's hearts. I don't think even politicians will have this privilege. There's nothing pretentious about being a storyteller. What you get to take home after a session is a story that you can recall and imagine much later. There are people who've told me that my stories have tugged at their heart strings, changed their lives and sometimes even moved them to tears.
Your thoughts on India...
Every part of the country is noisy, dirty and smelly. You have animals roaming on the streets but nobody seems to have a problem with that. Having said that, India has the most beautiful fabrics and is popular for its handmade jewellery. I am a vegetarian and I find the food here delicious.
Jeff Gere produced and hosted the 'Talk Story Festival', Hawaiis largest storytelling festival for over 26 years. He is also known for the enactment of 'The Arabian Nights' with two musicians and a belly dancer. He is married to Dominic, a native of France.
Hawaiian master storyteller and puppeteer Jeff Gere doesn’t need an excuse to narrate a story. His imagination is at its peak when he is around children. Jeff was a painter, a mime artiste, a performance artiste and an experimental theatre artiste before he turned a full-time storyteller.
This explains why he uses shadow puppets and paper cutouts that always wiggle on an overhead projector, to make shadow shows on the wall during his storytelling sessions.
In Jeff’s hands, stories and characters come alive. His animated ways of telling a story not only liven up any dull atmosphere but also do well to fire one’s imagination. In the city on an invitation from the Bangalore Storytelling Society, Jeff takes time off to chat with Nina C George about his journey so far.
Tell us about your journey from a painter to a storyteller.
I hold a BA in painting and art history and a Masters degree in performance art. I had the habit of scribbling on pieces of paper and would find the possibility of creating something artistic in about anything lying around. I began by experimenting with two-dimensional art and soon started employing shadow puppetry and use my artwork during the storytelling sessions.
How would you define the art of storytelling?
I believe a story can be told in multiple ways. I find innovative ways of telling the same stories. I play with words and expressions and use the diversity in language to present even the old things in a new format. There’s no pretence or artificiality in storytelling.
Your best moments as a storyteller...
You know that you’ve achieved what you want to as a storyteller, when you see people in the audience with their jaws slightly open with a sense of amusement and their eyes dilating. You instantly know then that they are exercising their imagination and making an effort to translate words into images in their head. I like it when I am with 600 sweaty people in a room and when my muscles ache because I’ve laughed so much.
How is your experience of telling stories in India?
Stories are an integral part of Indian culture. Everybody, whether a child or an adult, knows the stories of the Mahabharatha’ and the Ramayana’ like the back of their hand.
It’s amazing how there’s a story behind every god and every house has a 'rangoli’ drawn in front of it so there’s a story in there as well.
The best part about being a storyteller...
Storytelling gives you a passport into people’s hearts. I don’t think even politicians will have this privilege. There’s nothing pretentious about being a storyteller. What you get to take home after a session is a story that you can recall and imagine much later. There are people who’ve told me that my stories have tugged at their heart strings, changed their lives and sometimes even moved them to tears.
Your thoughts on India...
Every part of the country is noisy, dirty and smelly. You have animals roaming on the streets but nobody seems to have a problem with that. Having said that, India has the most beautiful fabrics and is popular for its handmade jewellery. I am a vegetarian and I find the food here delicious.
Jeff Gere produced and hosted the 'Talk Story Festival’, Hawaii's largest storytelling festival for over 26 years. He is also known for the enactment of 'The Arabian Nights’ with two musicians and a belly dancer. He is married to Dominic, a native of France.