Szalony, Zielony Bez Green, Wild Elderflower

“Szalony, Zielony Bez”
Green Wild Elderflower with songs by Agnieszka Osiecka

A woman from Warsaw sets out in search of freedom and her dreams, travelling between the colourful promise of the capitalist West and the grey, yet humorous, world of communist Poland. It’s a story about migration — about leaving home, chasing dreams and the disillusionment that can follow — told through the songs of Agnieszka Osiecka, with three performers sharing a single voice.

About the show

A few words from the director

I first came across Agnieszka Osiecka’s work back at drama school in Kraków. I had far more interesting things to do than study over 2,000 poems… but I bought a hefty book and told myself: one day, I’ll get into it.

That “one day” only came after I moved to London - my European version of the “American dream.” Partly out of homesickness; partly because I was trying to figure out what the f**k I was doing here, I picked up the dusty book. And I completely lost track of time. Stayed up all night. Missed work. Nearly got sacked.

I read everything — songs, diaries, interviews. I highlighted the bits I loved, dumped them into one Word document and suddenly… a very personal story began to appear.

A story about leaving Poland. About getting a bit drunk on the West (for Osiecka it was New York, for me - London). About partying, alcohol, drugs, sexual adventures… but also that strange emotional limbo, loneliness and this creeping sense of never quite belonging.

This show is not a biography of Osiecka — it’s a conversation between her experience and mine.

After Brexit, lots of my friends moved back to Poland. Maybe, at some point, I will too. Or maybe this show is already my first step in that direction.

Fun fact: Osiecka wrote the slogan that gave Poles a taste of freedom during martial law - “Coca-Cola… this is it.” She loved America and its culture, describing the West as a dreamed-of land, an Eden. I think I grew up with a version of that same fascination.

I was too shy to take on America, so I chose London. And, honestly, thank God for that now.

And maybe that’s what this show is really about. Chasing a dream across the world… only to realise it was just a slogan.

I hope you enjoy the show. And maybe recognise a bit of yourself in it. And if you’ve never left home, perhaps we’ll help you imagine what it could be like.

Mateusz Mirek, director

About Agnieszka Osiecka

Agnieszka Osiecka (1936-1997) was a renowned Polish poet, songwriter, journalist and playwright, widely regarded as a postwar cultural icon. She wrote over 2,000 song lyrics, creating some of Poland’s most beloved music and leaving an indelible mark on its culture. Her songs, performed by generations of artists, became the soundtrack of the nation’s emotional life.

Friends remember her as always leaving—travelling, escaping comfort, following her own impulses. She had a gift for turning life’s most ordinary moments, like sewing a button, into sharp, witty and deeply reflective stories, speaking as easily to professors as to housewives.

Her beauty, charm and brilliance — paired with an unconventional, often controversial approach to life (she famously left her husband and daughter and was known for her complex and often turbulent relationships) — made her a celebrity, yet she remained impossible to pin down. She captivated many, including Andrzej Wajda, who modelled the main character of The Man of Marble on her.

Osiecka suffered from severe anxiety and depression, which fueled her restlessness and shaped the emotional intensity of her work.

She was fascinated by America: its freedom and possibilities, yet acutely aware of its superficiality.

Her work is a chronicle of life, love and longing—a mirror of her restless, unforgettable spirit.