All We Ever Wanted Was Everything –
Content notes
Age guidance: 14+
Contains strong language, death of a family member, class conflict, depression and the end of the world.
Plot summary
We want to ensure that we do not cause distress among our audiences because of the content of our work. The summary below includes spoilers but may be useful to those who prefer to know the subjects touched upon in the show.
The whole show is narrated by an MC, who is independent of the story. The first act begins in 1997, when the main characters, Leah and Chris, are children. Chris has just found out his dad has died from cancer. Leah’s mum ran away. Both their respective parents meet in a music shop and agree to a play date, where the children talk about what they want to be when they’re older. The parents kiss but realise it was a mistake and the date comes to an end, with the parents promising both their children that they can be anything they want to be. Meanwhile an asteroid, personified by an electro-pop performer, sees beauty in the Earth.
The second act is in 2007. Chris is home from university, but has a panic attack because he can’t tell his mum, who is really proud of him, how much he is struggling. He then goes out dressed as a Disney princess, to party with his friends who he thinks lack ambition. Meanwhile Leah works in Build a Bear and, that night in the same club, bumps into a girl who used to bully her, who is now successful. Later that night, at home, a drunk Leah accuses her dad of failing her, then reaches out to the girl for a job. The asteroid, heading towards Earth, begins to fall out of love with the planet.
The third and final act takes place in 2017. Chris is now a councillor and has married someone called Carly. They have a son, Colin. Leah works with Holly now but is unhappy at their friendship. Both Leah and Chris struggle with their parents. They both go out to celebrate their birthdays at the same club, where they meet and reflect on their lives. But it’s too late, the asteroid crashes into the Earth, leaving the MC to encourage the audience to make the most of their lives.
Last updated: 9 April 2020, ahead of the online streaming of a 2017 performance recording.
