WE ALL HAVE A NAVEL

Whether visible or hidden

a potent and universal symbol that binds us together both biologically and cosmically

Through a Formless character shifting between different labels, WE ALL HAVE A NAVEL questions how labels, both self-imposed and assigned by others, affect our understanding of ourselves and one another.

What truly matters in the formation of identity, and what lies in that which unites us?

Detailed theoretical and practical description

An international collective hailing from France, Poland, Slovakia, Norway, and Iceland, the company brings together a diverse group of artists with varied professional LABELS—including physical theatre, classical and film acting, storytelling, contemporary circus, dance, drag, live music, scriptwriting and teaching.

Reviews

Various elements, disciplines, and labels converged not only within the ensemble and the piece itself, but also in dynamic interaction with the audience, establishing a space of mutual exchange in which spectators were not passive observers, but essential participants in the unfolding dramaturgy.

I cried and I don’t know why, but hearing it I just cried and cried.

Thank you.

★★★★★

The premiere took place on March 13, 2025, at Scene 3 of the Academy of Arts in Oslo and received positive feedback, particularly for its multidimensional, polyphonic structure and emotional engagement.

Workshops

A central dramaturgical gesture in We All Have a Navel is the act of welcoming the unknown, rupturing the sealed world of the performance to allow external forces to enter. This opening creates space for voices beyond the main cast: individuals representing a genuine cross-section of society, ideally drawn from the region where the performance takes place.

These participants contribute their own perspectives, texts, physical presence, and collaboratively devised sequences centered on the theme of labels, developed through workshops held in advance with members of the ensemble. This process roots each version of the scene in the local context, directly addressing regional concerns and interpretations of the theme.

The resulting dialogue, between individual truths and universal concepts, imbues the work with political and sociological depth, ensuring that each performance is as distinct and layered as the people who shape it.