I HAD TICKETS FOR NIE MA SOLIDARNOSCI BEZ MILOSCI.
What's that you say? You've never heard of this masterpiece? Never fear. I will enlighten you.
Once upon a time, some Polak wrote a musical and entitled it, "There is no Solidarity without love." For those of you in the know - the Solidarity movement was a labor movement in Poland that led to the downfall of Communism (before everywhere else) and the rise of Lech Walesa as a person of awesomeness.
So, Lech heard about this musical and wrote to his close friends Bono and Elton John, asking them both to compose a song for the musical. Elton and Bono replied with very nicely worded letters of support for the musical.
Even without Bono and Elton's lyrical input, it was a great musical. I understood a large portion of the plot. And I got one of the songs entirely. Granted, the lyrics were pretty much "Happy New Year. 1980." over and over.
Below is one of the songs - the only one they put on youtube so far. They haven't released a soundtrack yet, but I'm hopeful. I'd love to get it AND a sweet t-shirt with the awesome logo...
Edit. Someone posted this link on the facebook page for nmsbm! So, if you're coming from there, hello! After realizing that I may be one of the few English speaking locations reviewing this musical, I thought, "Golly. Perhaps I should say more about the musical itself."
I don't want to give away the plot. Suffice it to say a young man has gotten in trouble with the law before and doesn't want his single mother to be worried about him. He's still a rebel. You can tell this because he wears a leather jacket and sings with angst.
Our lead girl is a trouble-maker, involved in all sorts of anti-Communist activities. You see them develop love as political turmoil occurs around them. They argue, having an especially heated debate about the usefulness of a strike as a political action.
Things really come to a head when the shipyard strikes go down. Boyfriend has to decide whether getting his passport and his freedom is worth betraying his girlfriend. He also suffers some survivors guilt related to the death of his father. It's quite emotional and pretty awesome.
Would I love this musical if I wasn't fascinated by the Solidarity movement? I can't say for sure. Not knowing what the songs were saying, except for "1980. Happy New Year" song (which has taught me how to say 1980 in Polish!), I can't speak to the lyrical greatness. But the acting was good and the singing was good and the music was fun. I'm anxious for them to (hopefully) have a day with English supertitles, because I would totally go again. But until that day, I'll just sit back and hope for the soundtrack... Then make my students translate it for me!
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