is a loud, sweeping, radical performance based on the book of the same name by Nanni Balestrini. K&A (Karla Isidorou & Alexandra Bellon), together with Gerindo Kartadinata, take the audience into the life of an anonymous migrant worker in a car factory in the 1970s. Having migrated from the south to the north, working in Turin’s famous Fiat factory, the audience follows his daily life, consisting of hard labor, repetitive movements, little sleep, and little future. Because of the harsh conditions, unrest begins to grow among the workers, slowly building up to a revolt that destroys everything. He has nothing left to lose, wants change, and is not afraid—if necessary—to burn it all down.
Opposite him stands his granddaughter: Generation X, working as a freelancer, rushing from place to place with an overfull schedule, over-qualified, wanting everything; sometimes partying with drugs until early morning, sometimes teetering on the edge of burnout. Is this all there is? Is this all she wants? Is she prepared, just like her grandfather, to rise up?
The two storylines weave together as the space vibrates with powerful percussion and intense physical theatre, making the storm of a revolution palpable.
“We want everything, Nanni’s Balestrini’s novel is a work of great energy and originality... ... The person who speaks in this novel is nameless but intimate. He is insolent but blunt. He’s full of personality, humour and rage. He speaks in a kind of vernacular poetry that gets into your mind and stays there"
WE WANT EVERYTHING is about power and powerlessness in a society that, for generations, has continued to produce more and consume more. Spanning the years 1970 to 2025, the audience is pulled into a unique performance that makes the rawness of capitalism palpable.
Today, the matrix in which our society functions has changed drastically compared to the 1970s: the “global economy” has led to the adaptation of processes and the relocation of production centers. Many production processes have been automated, and many factories have relocated to places where labor is cheaper (the former Eastern Bloc or Asia), resulting in unemployment for a large portion of factory workers.
Contemporary society sees the rise of a new type of worker: the freelancer. Many sectors encourage working as a freelancer—a liberal approach that promotes the dream of the “self-made (wo)man.” Is the freelancer a modern-day laborer? In a society where the rich grow richer and the poor grow poorer, the middle class has enough comfort to look the other way. While the labor migrant of the 1970s had nothing to lose, this class does have something to lose: its comfort. Can this class still rise up? And is that still relevant?
In K&A’s performance, two different generations and social classes stand face-to-face: the labor migrant and the freelancer. A grandfather and his granddaughter. A grandfather and his granddaughter.
What do they have in common?
What do they stand for?
What are they willing to fight for?
What worldview do they represent?
Do they believe in change?
What do they want? Everything.
Vogliamo tutti (“we want everything”) was used as a slogan in the workers’ uprising in 1970s Italy: they no longer accepted mildly improved conditions. One hour less work per week was not enough—they wanted EVERYTHING: fewer working hours, social security, access to healthcare, stable contracts, certainty, the right to retire.
They want everything—or they will burn everything down.
Generation X, which mainly works as freelancers or on short-term contracts, also wants everything. But this generation stands alone, without union allies, in a work environment where, as a freelancer, you must maintain a competitive attitude toward colleagues in the same sector.
They want EVERYTHING: few working hours, good pay, plenty of vacation days, no pressure…
They want everything — or they will burn out.
WE WANT EVERYTHING is staged at the Wibar, an industrial venue in Leiden. Its expansive open space, raw architecture, and surrounding shipping containers create an authentic backdrop in which the story of the working class comes vividly to life. The industrial character of the location amplifies the themes of labour and resistance, fully immersing the audience in an environment that resonates with the performance.
The Set as an Instrument
Inside the Wibar, an impressive large-scale installation takes shape, inspired by the movement of an assembly line. Built from car parts, tools, and metal objects, the structure spans an entire wall of the performance space. It functions both as scenography and as a musical instrument. Throughout the performance, the installation is activated and played, allowing the audience to experience the space visually, physically, and sonically.
Cast & Credits
Concept, choreography & performance: K&A (Karla Isidorou & Alexandra Bellon)
Performers: Karla Isidorou & Alexandra Bellon & Gerindo Kartadinata
Music composition & realization: Alexandra Bellon
Inspired by the book WE WANT EVERYTHING of Nanni Balestrini
Co-production: K&A, Theater Ins Blau, Wibar
Special Thanks to: Kees van Leeuwen, the whole team of Theater Ins Blau
Do you WANT EVERYTHING? Next Performance in:
Upcoming Dates
Leiden, 2315TZ Netherlands
Past Dates
Geneva, 1205 Switzerland
