William at level 650

Written by: Marcin Melon

Directed by: Joanna Lorenc

Cast: Jakub Łasicki, Sławomir Rosowski, Marian Synowiec, Janusz Watoła, Dagmara Kupczyk, Bożena Tomala, Nina Stypulkowska, Magdalena Gorkiewicz

Set design: Iga Słupska

Music: Augustyn

The play tells about the longest underground strike, which lasted from 14 to 28 December 1981 in KWK Piast, and its consequences were suffered by many local mining families. The actors, playing the typical miners of that time, fully conveyed the thoughts, fears, feelings, but also the frustrations that accompanied the strikers. The scene of a grandfather reading a letter to his granddaughter, or a Christmas carol sung together by the miners is touching. Witek's story about internees jumping out of windows is horrifying, the conversation of a miner with a woman substituted by SB, pretending to be his wife... and all this with poignant music, affecting the emotions of the spectators and remaining in the back of the head read the original texts of the appeals of the regime leaders of those years. If we add to this the space of events happening on earth, the crying of women, wives, questions left without fathers of children — then it is difficult to pass by this spectacle indifferent. If we realize that these events took place during the Christmas period, it touches our senses even more. Beauty is a feast for the spirit of memories, a journey into the nearby history of our region, our city, our parents, grandparents - it is an obligatory lesson for the younger generation, youth and children.

Importantly, Marcin Melon's art in these small pictures of the characters' lives allows many viewers to identify with one of them. The professional play of the actors contributed to this, but also the light, the expressive scenography, or the aforementioned music composed by a young artist from Warsaw. A smart, fact-based performance that perfectly captures the atmosphere prevailing in mines, including contemporary ones.