Theatre Royal and Metropole Hotel

The Theatre Royal and Metropole Hotel is a heritage-listed building in Perth, Western Australia, located at 637–645 Hay Street.

[1] Local businessman Thomas Molloy was instrumental in attracting finance and commissioning some of Perth's early cultural buildings.

[4][5] Theatre Royal was the first venue in Australia to have Continental Wondergraph Company's new cinema technology demonstrated, in November 1909.

It was the company's intention to have a limited season in Perth before proceeding to the eastern states,[6] and it later established a cinema chain in Adelaide, South Australia.

Refurbishments in 1939, costing approximately £A 7,800, equivalent to A$770,200 in 2022, modernised the venue, made it more suitable for film viewing, and contributed to its popularity.

The ground floor was turned into an arcade with shopfronts, while large open spaces were created in the upper levels through the removal of interior walls.

[9] The Metropole Hotel was designed by Henry Stirling Trigg, a prominent architect during the gold rush era.

The building featured shops at the ground floor, to provide additional revenue, while the theatre spaces included a proscenium stage, stalls, dress circle, gallery, vice-regal box, and an orchestra pit.