It was the last showing of the play, presented by the Carol Krueger Children's Theatre, and there were not enough seats for everyone who turned up.
Director Carol Krueger said she knew the venue had 80 seats, but did not realise that was its legal capacity. Children had dressed up for the 2pm play and she could not bear to turn them away, so she let 20 people - mostly children - sit on a rug at the front.
An audience member telephoned Dunedin firefighters to report the theatre was overcrowded.
Mrs Krueger said the theatre's fire exits were kept clear at all times and there was no risk of fire.
She had learned her lesson and would never allow any more than 80 people into the Globe again.
''I will just have to say no, as hard as it is to say no to children who have dressed up and are so excited. If I knew it was a bad thing to do I wouldn't have done it, and it will never happen again.''
She did not want the Globe to suffer a bad reputation and took full responsibility for the incident.
''It was a misunderstanding. People turned up saying they had booked but we didn't get the message and I didn't want to turn little children away so I allowed them in.''
Firefighters did not require people to leave the hour-long show.
