On leaving school, rather than go to drama school, Metcalfe went straight into acting in the British provincial repertory theatre system, which saw him work in troupes of actors touring the country – a training ground that offered the young actor a variety of plays in which to develop his talents.
[2][5][6] Whilst working as the artistic director for the National, Metcalfe coordinated a co-production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Metcalfe also directed four national tours in Australia: "Doctor in Love"[8] and "Night Mother" with Jill Perryman and June Salter; and "The Nerd" and "Corpse" with the late Gordon Chater.
[5] In Canberra in 1988 he directed plays including dinner-theatre production of Charles Dyer's Rattle of a Simple Man.
He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 1978 Queen's Birthday Honours for his services to the performing arts.