The oldest indoor theatre in the world is the Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza, Italy, which opened in 3 March 1585. London's oldest theatre is the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, which opened on 7 May 1663. It burnt down in 1672 and was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren. In 1800 it became the world's fist theatre to have safety curtains. The oldest surviving theatre in USA is the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
World's biggest theatres
The National People's Congress Building Theatre,Beijing, China was built in 1959 and can hold audiences of 10,000. The Perth Entertainment centre, Australia (1976) has up to 8,500 seats, the Chaplin (originally Blanquetta), Havana, Cuba (1949) has 6,500 and Radio city Music Hall, New York USA, has 6,200. The 3,483 seater Hammersmith Odeon is the largest theater in Britain, but the Royal Albert hall in London can hold up to 7,000 depending on the event and how the seating is organized.
Worst disasters at a theatre
Fires, in which people were burned to death or trampled in the panic to escape, have caused the worst disasters at theatres. The worst ever was at Canton (now Guangzhou), China, in 1845 when 1,670 died. Europe's worst was at the Ring Theatre, Vienna, Austria, in 1881, which killed at least 620 people. The worst in USA was at the Iroquois Theatre, Chicago, in 1903, which left 602 dead, these are the worst single-building (rather than city or forest) fires in history.
Longest play
Neil Oram's The Warp was first performed at the ICA (Institute of contemporary Art) in London from 18-20 January 1979. It lasted 18 hours and 5 minutes.
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