Unravelling the unknown tales of North Madras
CHENNAI: In a world of Kindles and podcasts, there exist chronicles of old-town charms and the days begone, all awaiting to be unleashed from the lands they belong to. Well, here is Gabrial Gladson, a maestro of words and a monarch in the enchanting world of storytelling, brushing off dust from the long-forgotten stories of love, compassion, and innocence.
On a rainy Sunday evening, sitting in a warmly lit room at The Backyard Adyar, he was all set to welcome us into his world, ‘Oru Oorula’, embarking on a journey of discovering love and relishing its presence in our lives. The show started with a soft strumming of the guitar by Roshan, an independent artiste known for his romantic compositions, with vocals by Rama Priya Yegasivanathan, a music composer and a playback singer. With the original songs of the duo adding beauty to the narration, Gabrial, in his expressive voice, began instilling a sense of anticipation among the crowd, making them curious about what laid ahead. With the audience cozily seated around and rekindling their love for stories, a pin-drop silence engulfed the room as soon as the act opened.
A celebration of love
Growing up, stories often hauled one into a world of fantasy and perfection, but ‘Oru Oorula’ pulled the crowd back to reality. The narrative revolved around the story of an elderly couple, known to Gabrial, and how their love blooms and transcends the boundary of human separation despite being near each other their entire lives. “I grew up admiring their love, and the effect it had on me was tremendous. Their tale was meant to be celebrated, and here I’m doing it tonight to show that love can inspire individuals to do deeds that no other emotion can,” he said.
The wonder of finding love and clinging to that feeling for a lifetime left a mark on the listeners. Infusing tales from the past and engaging the crowd in the process of storytelling, Gabrial set the mood for the evening. “I came here thinking that it would be just another love story, but the moment it ended, I could see myself standing right in front of Thatha’s door, all teary-eyed, wondering if they had left for the great beyond together, just the way they wanted to,” said Amal, an audience member overwhelmed with emotions.
That North Chennai paiyyan!
Gabrial, who hails from North Madras, gained popularity among the storytellers when his passion for open mic turned into a profession. “I used to work in a call centre prior to stepping into this industry. On a random, frustrating day, I came across a post on open mic and thought of giving it a shot. And that thought changed everything for me,” said Gabrial.
Receiving wide appreciation for that show instilled a sense of belonging in him, following which he started doing ticketed shows and now hosts open mics for upcoming artistes under his production house, Kizhinja Kaagitham. “I was the first one from my area to step onto the stage and present myself out there. Even after being stout-hearted, the initial days had a strangling effect on me, especially in terms of language. I soon realised that people were equally indulged in stories told in Tamil, and this, when added with my North Chennai accent, just did the trick,” he said.
As the evening drew to a close, the audience bid goodbye to their beloved Thatha and Paati, wishing for their reunion in the afterlife. Carrying with them a bagful of cherished moments and memories, the echoes of Gabrial’s ‘Oru Oorula’ lingered around in the air, strong enough to pull them into nirvana. With the light dimming, they parted ways, hoping for Gabrial’s next storytelling event where they could drown within their emotions all over again!
Gabrial is gearing up for his shows in Bengaluru, Chennai and Coimbatore. The dates will soon be announced on his Instagram page: @gabrial_gladson.