Rod Quantock is one of the reasons that Melbourne is the live comedy capital of Australia. As a pioneer of stand up comedy, Rod has more than thirty years experience working in cabaret, theatre, television, radio, advertising and the corporate sector. For an old boy, Rod is still doing extremely well, thank you very much. His live shows are predictably box office hits at the Melbourne Comedy Festival and the Adelaide Fringe Festival and he is an evergreen favourite at corporate events. He most recently won the Director's Choice Award (2012) at the Melbourne Comedy Festival.
The truly remarkable thing about Rod is that for more than thirty years he has remained a contemporary stand up comedian, evolving and staying at the forefront of the craft. His contribution to Australian cultural life was rewarded when he received the Individual Award at the 2004 Sydney Myer Performing Arts Awards, putting him in the company of such arts luminaries as Geoffrey Rush, Robyn Nevin, Nick Enright, Lucy Guerin & Paul Grabowsky. That he continues to build new, younger audiences all the time is testament to possibly the most impressive career in Australian comedy.
“A living Melbourne treasure”
The Age, Melbourne
“Sophisticated satire, unpretentious, daffy. His easy rambling fills the stage. Clever, simple and acid... a comedian for thinkers.”
The Melbourne Times
“A gloriously shambling style, punctuated by sudden gags and proposals of Swiftian excess... He is the archetypal wise fool adrift in a dark & dangerous world.”
The Australian
“For sheer cheek and inventiveness, the amazing Rod Quantock must take the honours. Bizarre, fresh, theatrically dangerous, unpredictable”
The Guardian, London
“wit, warmth & aplomb... wise, scary, funny.”
The Age, Melbourne
“We walked away entertained, reflective and finally, amazed. If you only see one comedy show this year, make it Sunrise Boulevard.”
Daily Telegraph, Sydney
“We walked away entertained, reflective and finally, amazed. If you only see one comedy show this year, make it Sunrise Boulevard."
Daily Telegraph, Sydney
“Quantock is hilarious, accessible & passionate.” - Herald Sun
"He’s the thinking audience’s comic – holing it in absolute fascination. His ability to maintain several through-lines throughout the show holds everything together in near perfection. You must see him."
The Adelaide Advertiser
"…always funny, intelligent and socially responsible"
Herald Sun, Melbourne
“Rod Quantock is still our best political comedian. He may simply be our best comedian."
Herald Sun
“This show has huge belly-laughs, but it is often so close to the truth of the mad events in our world at present that we laugh with an ache. Quantock’s show is about learning and laughing. Go now”
Herald Sun
“Quantock is the master of comedy as social criticism”
The Sunday Age, Melbourne
“Bus is the most chaotic, unplanned fun you can have. Take a friend. Take a camera. Take the risk."
The Age, Melbourne
“Rod Quantock is an extremely sophisticated comedian
at the height of his craft.”
The Adelaide Advertiser
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Live Shows
|
2011 |
The Insane Asylum (You’re Standing In it)
Melbourne International Comedy Festival |
2011 |
Court in the Act
Melbourne |
2010 |
The People We Should Eat First (And How To Cook Them)
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
|
2010 |
In The Beginning: A Walking Tour Of The Birth Of Melbourne Comedy
Melbourne International Comedy Festival |
2009 |
Bugger The Polar Bears, This is Serious – Solo Show
Trades Hall, Melbourne |
2009 |
Rod Quantock Eats Himself – Solo Show
Melbourne International Comedy Festival |
2008 |
Last Man Standing
Solo Show
Trades Hall, Melbourne |
2008 |
2050 AD The Musical
Solo Show
Melbourne International Comedy Festival |
2007 |
The John Howard Farewell Party
Solo Show
Canberra, Melbourne
|
2007 |
anconvenientlie
Solo Show
Melbourne International Comedy Festival |
2007 |
Hand In Bloody Hand: The John & Janette Story
Solo Show
Adelaide Fringe Festival |
2007 |
Court in the Act - Solo Show
Melbourne |
2006 |
The Annual Report - Solo Show
Regional Arts Victoria National Tour, Tasmanian Regional Arts Tour |
2006 |
Rod Quantock's Australia! - Solo Show
Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Festival
|
2005 |
Demockracy - Solo Show
Melbourne |
2005 |
A Brief History Of The End Of The World
Solo Show
Melbourne International Comedy Festival |
2004 |
Howard On Ice: The Musical - Solo Show
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Changing Regimes - Solo Show
Adelaide Fringe |
2003 |
The Axis Of Stupidity - Solo Show
Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Darwin Festival
Sun, Sex & Sydition - Solo Show
Big Laugh Comedy Festival - Parramatta |
2002 |
Scum Nation - Solo Show
Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Boredom Protection Policy - Solo Show
Melbourne
Bus - Solo Show
Big Laugh Comedy Festival - Parramatta, Melbourne |
2001 |
Lest We Forget: An Inquiry Into Police, Politics & Protest - Solo Show Melbourne
The Rodtacular - Solo Show
Melbourne International Comedy Festival (Celebrating Rod's 30 Years in Comedy) |
2000 |
Utopia - Solo Show
Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Festival |
1999 |
Eureka - A Blueprint For The Revolution - Solo Show
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
A Major Event: The Final Report of the Comedian General into the State of Victoria - Solo Show
Melbourne |
1998 |
Crown Of Thorns - Solo Show
Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Harold Park Hotel - Sydney, Return Melbourne Season
Double Dissolution - Solo Show
Melbourne |
1997 |
Sunrise Boulevard - Solo Show
Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Adelaide, Return Melbourne Season, Harold Park Hotel - Sydney 1998
Happy Birthday Jesus - Ensemble Show
Melbourne |
1996 |
Bus: A Moving Experience - Solo Show
Melbourne International Comedy Festival |
1988 |
Rod Quantock Inflates - Solo Show
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Bus - Solo Show
Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Bus was specially chosen by the Australian Bicentennial Authority to represent Australia at the Edinburgh Festival) |
1981 |
Bus, Son Of Tram - Solo Show
Melbourne. Return Melbourne Seasons 1982, 1984. Sydney 1983.
Melbourne International Comedy Festival 1986 |
1980 |
Tram - Solo Show
Melbourne |
** Various shows between 1973 & 1980, both solo and group devised with Mary Kennealley, Stephen Blackburn & Geoff Brooks, at Melbourne's pioneer comedy venues The Comedy Cafe & Banana Lounge, Fiobles Theatre Restaurant, The Flying Trapeze Cafe, The Last Laugh and The Pram Factory.
**Rod has also toured his stand-up show, Bugger The Polar Bears, This is Serious to dozens of regional venues and sustainable living festivals across the country. |
Television
|
2006 |
ABC-TV |
Enough Rope with Andrew Denton
(Interview) |
2006 |
SBS |
Insight (Guest Appearance) |
2006 |
Comedy Channel |
Stand Up! Australia
(StandUp Appearance) |
2005 |
ABC-TV |
Talking Heads (Interview) |
2004 |
ABC-TV |
Stand Up! (Stand Up Appearance) |
2003 |
Network TEN |
GNW Debate (Adjudicator) |
2002 |
Network TEN |
GNW Debate (Adjudicator) |
2001 |
ABC-TV
Network TEN
ABC-TV |
The Glass House
(Development Consultant)
GNW Debate (Debater)
The Peoplescape Concert
Celebrating Centenary of Australian Federation
(Solo Sketch Appearances x 2) |
1999/00 |
ABC-TV |
Backberner (Head Writer) |
2000 |
ABC-TV |
One Size Fits All
(Producer & Writer) |
1999 |
ABC-TV |
Standing Up (Interviewer) |
1998/01 |
ABC-TV |
Comedy Unit
Script consultant & Associate Producer |
1997/00 |
ABC-TV/Network TEN |
Good News Week
(Regular Panellist) |
1997 |
Nine Network |
Melbourne International
Comedy Festival Gala
(Stand Up Appearance) |
1996 |
Seven Network |
Denton (Writer) |
1990 |
Seven Network |
Lift Off (Writer) |
1989 - 90 |
ABC-TV |
The Big Gig
(Writer & Stand Up
Appearances x 2) |
1989 |
Seven Network |
Fast Forward
(Associate Producer/Script Editor) |
1986 |
ABC-TV |
Book Program (Host) |
1983/84 |
ABC-TV |
Australia You're Standing In It
(Cast Member & Writer) |
1981 |
Network TEN |
Ratbags (Cast Member & Writer) |
1976 |
ABC-TV |
The Razzle Dazzle Revue
(Writer & Performer) |
Corporate
|
Various clients such as AMP, the Australian Bicentennial Authority, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, the Department of Premier & Cabinet (Victoria), IBM, Kraft Foods, NAB, Privacy Victoria & Red Tulip Chocolates to name just a few.
|
Awards
|
2012 |
Winner of the Director's Choice Award at the Melbourne Comedy Festival.
|
2004 |
Winner of the Sydney Myer Performing Arts Award (Individual Award).
|
2003 |
Nominated for the Barry Award for the best show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
|
1997 |
Winner of the Green Room Award for Best Fringe Performance for Sunrise Boulevard. This is the first time a comedian has won this prestigious award
|
1999 |
Nominated for the Campus Activities Victoria Best Comedy Act Award |
Other Notable Work
|
- Rod has been a founding member on the Melbourne International Comedy Festival board, a consultant to the Melbourne Moomba Festival and a member of the Arts Committee of the Bicentennial BHP Awards For Excellence
- Rod opened and operated The Comedy Café & Banana Lounge along with comedy cohorts Mary Kenneally, Geoff Brooks & Stephen Blackburn
- Rod wrote a column for The Sunday Age between 1989 and 1994. Lothian Books published a compilation of these columns in 1999 called Double Dissolution
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Exclusively represented by Token Artists.
Contact Erin Zamagni on 03 9417 4700 for further details.
Updated: March 2011 |