The State's heritage laws will protect WA's first purpose built theatre

2/7/99
The State's heritage laws will protect the first purpose-built theatre in Western Australia, Heritage Minister Graham Kierath said today.
The Theatre Royal and Hotel Metropole was one of only two theatre and hotel complexes built in the central city area - the other being Perth's most famous theatre, His Majesty's.
Now commonly known as Sussan House, the Theatre Royal and Hotel Metropole buildings in the Hay Street Mall will be added to the Heritage Council of Western Australia's register of heritage places.
Mr Kierath said the Theatre Royal had played a starring role in the cultural life of Perth since its construction in the late 1890s.
"Turn of the century Perth saw the construction of its first theatre as a big step forward for the city," he said.
"The Theatre Royal hosted many forms of theatre in its early years and as the world of entertainment began to change with the arrival of talking pictures, it evolved into a movie house.
"It was possibly Perth's best known cinema house until the advent of the 1960s and 70s, when the age of large and glamorous cinemas died out and the Theatre Royal was converted to shops."
Mr Kierath said the Theatre Royal was built in 1897 adjacent to and incorporating the existing Hotel Metropole, built three years earlier.
The theatre and hotel complex was developed by businessman Thomas Molloy, a successful baker who became one of the largest landowners in the city and particularly West Perth.
The Hotel Metropole was built with the financial help of then Perth Lord Mayor, Alexander Forrest, and was described as having more than 100 rooms, smoking and reading rooms, a "Ladies boudoir", two billiard rooms and six saloon bars.
The 1,000 seat Theatre Royal, also built with Forrest's financial help, was an imposing, three-storey building in the Federation Free Classical style.
It was opened on April 19, 1897 - two days late due to the delayed arrival of the ship carrying the actors and scenery - with a performance of the "Silver King" by the Stanford & Barnes Company.
"Despite being a popular venue and attracting big productions by professional theatre companies, Perth could not support long seasons and the lessees filed for bankruptcy after just a year," Mr Kierath said.
"Despite these problems, Molloy was not discouraged and in 1902 began building a second theatre and hotel, His Majesty's, even larger and more opulent than the Theatre Royal.
"The Theatre Royal became home to a mix of drama, musicals, vaudeville and variety acts until the arrival of moving pictures.
"In 1934, the Grand Theatre Company, which had contracts with major film suppliers Paramount, Universal and MGM, took over the lease of the Theatre Royal and it became exclusively a cinema house."
Mr Kierath said Grand Theatre Company, now known as City Theatres, bought out the theatre in 1954, although the Hotel Metropole was not included in the sale. This remained in the Molloy estate until 1962 when the clothing company Sussan became the new owners and converted it to shops.
The theatre was closed in 1977 and the Perth City Council approved plans for the redevelopment of the ground floor into shops. The canopy and facade of the theatre were retained.
It has now been strata-titled, with three units at ground level and the remainder of the building occupied by Hoyts.
Media contact: Steve Manchee (08) 9213 6400