Regent Theatre
The Regent Theatre is a historic Melbourne picture palace opened in 1929, now operated by Marriner Group as one of the city's premier live performance venues.
Last updated September 15, 2026
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Overview
The Regent Theatre is a landmark venue at 191 Collins St, Melbourne, opened on 15 March 1929 as a grand picture palace and flagship of Francis W Thring's Regent cinema franchise. After closing in 1970 and spending 20 years in darkness, it was meticulously refurbished in 1996 by Marriner Theatres (now Marriner Group) and reopened as a live performance venue. Today it hosts renowned theatre productions and welcomes thousands of audience members weekly.
History
The Regent Theatre was built under the personal supervision of theatrical and cinema entrepreneur Francis W Thring as the flagship of his Regent cinema franchise (later sold to Hoyts), constructed in a race against the Union Theatre's Forum Theatre to be Melbourne's first and most extravagant picture palace. It opened on 15 March 1929, a month after the Forum, and was affectionately known as 'The Palace for the People'. The Rococo interior was inspired by the New York Capitol Theatre. The complex consisted of two venues: the 3,500-seat Regent Theatre, designed for entertainment with live stage, orchestra and Wurlitzer Organ performances of equal importance to silent films, and downstairs the Plaza, originally intended as a ballroom. The theatre closed in 1970 and spent 20 years in darkness before being meticulously refurbished in 1996 by Marriner Theatres (now Marriner Group), reopening on 17 August 1996 as a theatre. Marriner Theatres played a major part in saving the Regent Theatre and Plaza Ballroom from demolition. Today the Regent Theatre stands on Collins Street hosting renowned theatre productions and welcoming thousands of audience members weekly.
Products and positioning
One of Melbourne's most iconic venues and premier live performance venues, known as 'The Palace for the People'.
Product categories. Live theatre productions · Musicals · Stage performances
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