THE REBEL ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY 2023 – 2027

Last update: Strategy document updated on May 18, 2026 by Anders. Updates in red

Overview

Since 2012 the works of The Rebel Alliance have ranged from dramas based on real events (Centrepoint, Manifesto 2083 and Back to Square One?) to highly theatrical works of more experimental nature (Standstill and Watching Paint Dry). The common thread in all of these works is a clarity of theatrical style, a directness of storytelling and in some cases a very dark sense of humour. The works are of high quality and we believe they can hold their own on an international stage.

As the primary vehicle for Anders Falstie-Jensen’s work as a director and playwright, The Rebel Alliance international goals are focused around promoting original productions by The Rebel Alliance that has touring potential and creating pathways for international theatre companies to stage works based on Anders’ scripts.

A secondary focus is leveraging on Anders’s experience as a producer and explore possibilities for The Rebel Alliance to become a conduit for Scandinavian companies that wish to perform in Aotearoa New Zealand and vice versa. If the project is right this could potentially mean that The Rebel Alliance could become a co-producer/presenter of international works. This secondary focus we have named Project Bifrost.

The primary international region of interest of touring for The Rebel Alliance is Scandinavia (Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark). Denmark, in particular, is of interest as it is the home of Anders’ family.

Productions by The Rebel Alliance have a very distinct style that we believe would work well in Scandinavia. Successfully presenting work in Scandinavia has the potential of resulting in licensing of works by companies in Germany and other parts of Europe.  

Alongside Scandinavia, Australia is also of high interest as it is the natural extension of touring New Zealand.

PROJECT BIFROST OBJECTIVES & GOALS

  • The Rebel Alliance being established as a New Zealand theatre company with an international reputation for creating unique and surprising work

  • For Anders to be recognized as a playwright and director in Scandinavia and have scripts licensed by Nordic theatre companies

  • To have The Rebel Alliance develop strong touring networks in Scandinavia

  • To create long term relationships with Nordic artists and become a conduit for international exchange between New Zealand and Scandinavia.

  • To create relationships with festivals and venues who can offer buy ins to lower the financial risk for The Rebel Alliance

  • To be represented by an international agency

TARGET MARKETS

Small and midscale arts festivals and venues/companies with studio sized theatres (100 – 250 capacity)

Developing direct relationships with the following Scandinavian venues and festivals:  

  • DENMARK: Århus Teater, Det Kgl. Teater, Teater V, Teater Katapult, Teater Momentum, Gruppe 38 and CPH Stage

  • ICELAND: National Theatre (Reykjavik), Reykjavik City Theatre.

  • SWEDEN: Dramaten (Stockholm), Folkteatern (Göteborg), Stockholm & Gothenburg Fringe Festivals

  • NORWAY: Nationalteatret (Oslo), Black Box Theatre (Oslo), Oslo Fringe Festival

  • FINLAND: Finnish National Theatre (Helsinki)

  • AUSTRALIA: Arts Festivals and established theatre companies in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide     

ARTISTIC FOCUS

Three productions in our repertoire will be the key productions that we will use to engage internationally:

Back to Square One? – Written and performed by Anders Falstie-Jensen the show can be performed either indoors or outdoors and requires only Anders to travel. The work is polished and has had more than 40 performances to date. It’s the ideal show to use as an introduction to our work and suitable for small venues, both indoors and outdoors, on site or off site.

Watching Paint Dry– Highly experimental and provocative it requires only Anders and Sean Lynch to perform. May be of interest to more risk-taking presenters. Suitable for small venues

The Valentina– our family production presented in 2024 at Auckland Arts Festival in partnership with our commissioning partner Auckland Live. Auckland Live is actively pursuing international presentation opportunities in Australia. This work is suited for medium sized venues.

STRATEGY

Our international approach is built around establishing connections to key markets in Scandinavia in 2023 through a season of Back to Square One? at CPH: STAGE and in Australia in 2024/25 via presentations of our family show The Valentina.

Our goal is to present a new work every 2 years with the work spending a year touring domestically before going overseas.

IMMEDIATE PROJECTED OUTCOMES

  • A 2023 season of Back to Square One?  at Teater V as part of CPH: Stage

  • With assistance from our commissioning partner Auckland Live and Auckland Arts Festival connecting with CLASSIFIED, CLASSIFIED, CLASSIFIED in CLASSIFIED and CLASSIFIED to discuss an Australian version of The Rebel Alliance’s family show, The Valentina.

These outcomes are the initial key parts in our 5-year international strategy, which is at the end of this document

MEASURABLES

  • A successful season at Teater V as part of CPH: Stage  - DONE!

  • Gaining international representation - In conversation with CLASSIFIED

  • Making headway on realistic Australian presentations of The Valentina in 2024/25 – NOT ACHIEVED. However, a new tour friendly version of The Valentina will be go on the road in 2026 and may provide an in-road into Australia.

  • Teater V, being part of CNZ’s Te Manu Ka Tau programme in 2024 – DONE! Teater V’s AD, Pelle Koppel, attended PANNZ in 2026 and the year before Teater Katapult’s AD, Torben Dahl attended PANNZ. We got there in the end!

FIVE YEAR PLAN

To achieve our goals we have set the following benchmarks for the period of 2023 – 2027

2023

  • Performing at CPH: STAGE as part of their international programme DONE!

  • Establishing contact with makers, dramaturges and programmers at key Danish theatres  DONE!

  • Premiering The Valentina at Auckland Live’s Herald Theatre and using the season as a showcase for potential Australian presentation partners DONE! Albeit, in 2024 and as part of Auckland Arts Festival

2024

  • Presenting Back to Square One? in Australia, using the show as an introduction to the work of our company  KINDA! Pitched Back to Square One? at APAX 2025 – have offer for a 2027 season at CLASSIFIED!

  • Getting an international agent for The Rebel Alliance Still a work in progress but there is movement!

  • Presenting another New Zealand production as part of CPH: Stage 2024 KINDA! Presented Back to Square One? at Stockholm and Gothenburg Fringe Festivals and Teater Katapult in Aarhus.

  • Seeing Peter Koppel, Artistic Director for Teater V, on the list of PANNZ delegates – DONE! He was unable to attend PANNZ in 2025 but will come in 2026. Torben Dahl from Teater Katapult attended in 2025)

  • Touring The Valentina to Australia – NOT ACHIEVED! To be fair, it only premiered that year. BONUS! Back to Square One? was invited to the Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo.

2025

  • Creating a new work in collaboration with CLASSIFIED, which will premiere in Denmark.  NOT ACHIEVED!

  • Seeing Peter Koppel, Artistic Director for Teater V, come to NZ as part of PANNZ – DONE! Well, he was invited in 2025 but couldn’t make it. He can come in 2026 though.

  • Presenting another New Zealand production as part of CPH: Stage 2025 – NOT ACHIEVED!

  • Making inroads into Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland  - NO PROGRESS!

  • Licensing The Valentina to CLASSIFIED for domestic touring in Australia.- NOT ACHIEVED! Unlikely due to CLASSIFIED being more commercial in nature and The Valentina not having toured domestically yet.

2026

  • Presenting The Valentina at CPH STAGE – KINDA! Presenting Watching Paint Dry instead

  • Seeing Peter Koppel, Artistic Director for Teater V, return to NZ as part of PANNZ DONE!

  • Presenting the work created in 2025 in collaboration with CLASSIFIED at the CLASSIFIED Festival NOT ACHIEVED!But there have been loose conversations

  • Producing a New Zealand production as part of CPH: Stage 2026 NOT ACHIEVED! However, we have played a small part in getting another NZ Company to Denmark in 2026.

  • Off the back of the above CPH: Stage season, tour the work to Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland for one-off presentations – Work in progress. One booking in Italy for 2027 is likely.

  • Licensing The Valentina to key theatres in Denmark – NOT ACHIEVED!

2027

  • Seeing a larger contingency of Nordic delegates as part of PANNZ – Too soon to tell.

  • Presenting a New Zealand programme as part of CPH: Stage 2027 – Too soon to tell.

  • Securing a commission with a Danish theatre company  - There is potential…

  • Producing a tour of CLASSIFIED work in New Zealand. T– Too soon to tell.