Fire, Flood, Injury: Stage Disasters & Insurance Considerations

This post reviews some infamous theatrical stage disasters that have happened over the years. We cannot guarantee that any of these disasters would have necessarily been covered under any insurance claim (coverage decisions are ultimately up to the insurance company), but it is nonetheless instructive to consider what has gone wrong during past live productions – and how insurance might have been helpful – especially if you work in the theatre world.

Globe Theatre fire – London, 1613

In 1613, the Globe Theatre in London burnt to the ground. This was the theatre where most of Shakespeare’s plays debuted, including The Tempest.

How did it happen?

A theatrical cannon – set off during a performance of All is True/Henry VIII – misfired, igniting the wooden beams and roof. There were no reports of any injuries.

A year later the theatre was rebuilt, only to be eventually demolished by the Puritans on ideological grounds.

Iroquois Theatre fire – Chicago, 1903

This tragedy was the deadliest theatre fire and the deadliest single-building fire in US history, resulting in at least 602 deaths.

How did it happen?

During a matinee of the musical Mr. Blue Beard, sparks from an arc light ignited a curtain, probably as a result of an electrical short circuit. The fire spread quickly from there and those in the crowded theatre began to panic and flee, but this resulted in a human stampede of sorts, and many weren’t able to get out alive.

Way Upstream flood – London, 1982

During a rehearsal of the play Way Upstream – which is set on a cabin cruiser boat on an English river – at London’s National Theatre in 1982, the water tank simulating the river burst. This flooded the National Theatre.

How did it happen?

The theatre had built a 6K-gallon tank for the boat, but the tank eventually broke and deluged the stage and seating area nearby. The boat had been weighed down by a dozen people, half of them stage crew, at the time of the flood.

Mamma Mia! hair dryer slip – London, 2014

During a performance of Mamma Mia! in London, actress Kim Ismay (as "Tanya") once swung a hair dryer straight into an audience member’s face! The hair dryer’s cable had snapped mid-song, sending the dryer flying into the crowd.

The audience member was given champagne during the interval to apologize for the accident. A nice touch, certainly – but not likely to be adequate if the patron decides to sue.

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