Free Theatre Christchurch (est. 1979) is New Zealand's longest running producer of experimental theatre. Over the years a wide range of emerging and established artists, including poets, filmmakers, sculptors, writers, musicians, dancers and actors, have collaborated within the Free Theatre to perform in various spaces around the North and South Island of New Zealand. From the start, the emphasis of Free Theatre's work has been on non-verbal action and high production standards, discouraging the star system and encouraging long rehearsal and training periods in a company context.