The year was 1968. Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr were assassinated, Nixon was elected. Saddam Hussein gained power in 1968. So did Yasir Arafat. And, closer to our hearts, it was the year Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark was born.
Co-incidentally 1968 was the year that the award-winning Rod Quantock first strolled onto a stage. Ten tears later and Rod was opening Australia’s first performer owned and operated theatre restaurant, The Comedy Café & Banana Lounge.
Another decade on and Rod was the talk of the Edinburgh Festival and a Perrier Award nominee. In 1998 he was taking on the Kennett Government and selling out shows around the country.
In between he established the art of stand-up comedy, turned public transport in a venue and, among many other achievements, co-conceived and starred in ‘Australia, You’re Standing In It’, ABC-TV’s first Melbourne comedy production and the door-opener for all that followed.
Now, more than fifty years on, he's still at it.
Over the course of those 50+ years as a performer and writer Rod has presented countless one-off performances, interviews and presentations for stage, television and radio.
In recent years his study of climate change and sustainability has informed his work and earned him Fellowships at Melbourne University.
(NOTE: Embedded links are to reviews, articles and images.)
2021
‘No Parking’, ZOOM broadcast. Writer, director, performer
2020
Vale Paddy Garritty: 1937 - 2020
“Paddy Garritty was a seaman, a painter and docker, the Secretary of the Unemployed Workers Union, a publican, a shopkeeper, a community activist, a circus rigger, a champion of the oppressed, a trade union activist, promoter of the arts and a comrade to many,” The secretary of Trades Hall, Luke Hilakari
Memorial, The Sydney Morning Herald
Memorial, The Age
“(A) glory of a person - just happiness on legs”. Rod Quantock
‘Happy Birthday Jesus’, ZOOM broadcast. Writer, director, performer
2018
‘Happy Birthday to Me’, Atheneum Theatre. Writer, director, performer. Producer: Token Artists.
Article, ‘Comedy Festival stars Rod Quantock and Danielle Walker talk among the animals‘ The Age
Review, Chortle Magazine (UK)
Review, Heald Sun
Andrew Bolt noticed Rod, again. What an honour.
2015
WOMADELAIDE - RN SCIENCE SHOW PANEL with Andrew Denton and Hanah Gadsby.
Vale John Pinder 1945 - 2015
Recipient of an Order of Australia Medal
2014-19
Woodford Folk Festival, various performances and environmental talks.
2014
‘Peak-a-Boo’ Melbourne Comedy Festival. Writer, director, performer. Producer: Token Artists.
TEDx Talk, Powerhouse, Brisbane
‘Invitation to a Revolution’, Melbourne Fringe Festival, Lithuanian Club. Writer, director, performer. Producer: Nelly Thomas.
Addressing an anti-freeway rally, Melbourne
2013
‘45 and Counting’ Athenaeum Theatre. Writer, director, performer. Producer: Token Artists.
Article, The Sydney Morning Herald
Review, Herald Sun
Tacoma No Maccas Campaign flash mob opened the show. (There were tears.)
‘Australia You’re Standing In It - 30th Anniversary Reunion Show’ Melbourne Town Hall. Producer: Melbourne International Comedy Festival
ARTICLE, ‘Farmers against fracking’ Rally, Melbourne. Centre For Climate Safety.
Video Speech at anti-fracking rally, Melbourne.
2012
Director's Award, Melbourne International Comedy Festival
‘Peak-a-Boo’ Touring show. Writer, director, performer.
2011
‘The Insane Asylum’ Melbourne Comedy Festival. Writer, director, performer. Producer: Token Artists.
Review, Crickey
‘Pardon My Carbon’ Writer, director, performer
2010
‘The People We Should Eat First’ Melbourne Comedy Festival. Writer, director, performer
'Court in the Act' Old Melbourne Magistrates' Court. Producer, director, performer
2009
‘Rod Quantock Eats Himself' Melbourne Comedy Festival. Writer, director, performer. Producer: Token Artists.
‘Bugger the Polar Bears, This is Serious’, Trades Hall, Melbourne. Writer, director, performer
‘Bugger the Polar Bears, This is Serious’, Street Theatre, Canberra
Interview, Green Left Weekly, 'If you're not scared shitless, you don't understand the science.'
2008
‘First Man Standing’, Trades Hall, Melbourne. Writer, director, producer
Article The Age
‘2050AD’, Melbourne Comedy Festival. Writer, director, producer
2007
‘Court in the Act', Old Melbourne Magistrates' Court. Producer, director, performer
'Jail Bait', Melbourne Fringe Festival. Co-producer, performer
'Ferry: An amphibious evening of maritime madness' Big Laugh Festival, Sydney. (BUS on brine)
'Hand in Bloody Hand', Adelaide Fringe Festival. Writer, director, performer. Producer: Token Artists.
'anconvenientlie’, Melbourne Comedy Festival, Writer, director, performer
‘The John Howard Farewell Party’ Trades Hall, Melbourne. Writer, director, producer
‘The John Howard Farewell Party’ Street Theatre, Canberra. Writer, director, co-producer. Producer: Token Artists.
Recipient of an Australia Council Theatre Board Fellowship
2006
Article: The twentieth Melbourne International Comedy Festival
‘Coming Clean', Melbourne Fringe Festival. Co-producer with Fiona Scott-Norman, performer
'The Annual Report', National Tour. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Token Artists.
'Australia', Adelaide Fringe Festival. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Token Artists.
'Ferry: An amphibious evening of maritime madness', Big Laugh Festival, Sydney. Solo show. Writer, director
'Australia', Melbourne Comedy Festival. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Token Artists.
'The Inaugural Golden Guy Fawkes Awards', Old Melbourne Gaol. Co-producer, performer.
'Mannix', Trades Hall Melbourne. Playwright, co-producer. Terrence Donovan, performer.
Interview, ABC-RN with Rod and Terrence Donovan
'The Annual Report', Tour of rural & regional Australia. Producer: Token Artists.
Solo show. Writer, director, performer
2005
Recipient of the 2005 Adelaide Justice Coalition Romero Community Award for his contribution to Australian social justice
‘Demockracy’, Trades Hall, Melbourne. Solo show. Writer, director, producer
‘A Brief History of the End of the World’, Melbourne Comedy Festival. Solo show. Writer, director
‘Mannix’, Kingston Arts Centre. Playwright, co-producer.
‘Rodents & Other Arselickers’ Big Laugh Festival, Sydney.Solo show. Writer, director
2004
Vale Lynda Gibson
‘(O)ne of Melbourne's most outspoken, loved, and courageous comedians and actors.’ The Age.
Memorial, The Age
"(An( extraordinary sense of justice. She used her comedy as a weapon. I admired her greatly." Rod Quantock.
‘Changing Regimes’ Adelaide Fringe Festival. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Token Artists.
‘Howard on Ice’ Big Laugh Festival, Sydney. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: John Pinder.
‘Howard on Ice’ Melbourne Comedy Festival. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Token Artists.
Tour of regional Victoria Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Token Artists.
2003
‘Axis of Stupidity’ Melbourne Comedy Festival. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Token Artists.
‘Sun, Sex & Sydition’ Big Laugh Festival, Sydney. Solo show. Writer, director
‘Baghdad Nights’ Trades Hall, Melbourne. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Union Promotions.
2002
‘Scum Nation’ Adelaide Fringe Festival. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Token Artists.
‘Scum Nation’ Melbourne Comedy Festival. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Token Artists.
‘Boredom Protection Policy’ Trades Hall, Melbourne. Solo show. Writer, director, producer
Tour of regional Victoria Solo show. Writer, director. . Producer: Token Artists.
‘One Size Fits All’ ABC-TV, Melbourne. Head writer, script editor, co-producer.
2001
‘Lest We Forget: An Inquiry Into Police, Politics and Protest’ Trades Hall, Melbourne.Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Union Promotions.
REVIEW, Green Left Weekly
REPORT, ABC
ARTICLE, Herald Sun
‘Rodtacular’ Melbourne Comedy Festival. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer, Token Artists.
2000
‘Utopia’ Adelaide Fringe Festival. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Token Artists.
‘Utopia’ Melbourne Comedy Festival. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Token Artists.
1999-00
‘Backberner’ ABC-TV. Head writer, script editor,
1999
FALL OF KENNETT GOVERNMENT - September
‘Eureka: A Blueprint for the Revolution’ Melbourne Comedy Festival. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Token Artists.
‘A Major Event: The Final Report of the Comedian General into the State of Victoria’ Trades Hall, Melbourne. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Union Promotions.
Tour of Regional Victoria Solo show. Writer, director, producer. Producer: Token Artists.
‘Art of the Everyday’ ABC-TV, Melbourne. Writer & presenter of series for ‘The Arts Show’
‘Double Disillusion: Musing of a Radical Comedian’ Book. Published, Lothian
1998-01
Script consultant, associate producer ABC-TV Comedy Unit
1998
‘Crown of Thorns’ Melbourne Comedy Festival. Solo show. Writer, director. . Producer: Token Artists.
‘Double Disillusion’ Melbourne Trades Hall. Solo show. Writer, director, producer. Producer: Union Promotions.
Greenroom Award for ‘Sunrise Boulevard’
Winner SKA-TV Activist Award
1997, 1998 & 2004
Host of SKA-TV Activists Awards
1997-2000
Regular guest on ‘Good News Week’, ABC-TV & Ten Network
1997
‘Sunrise Boulevard’ Melbourne Comedy Festival. Solo show. Writer, director.. Producer: Token Artists.
‘Sunrise Boulevard’ Melbourne Trades Hall. Solo show. Writer, director. Producer: Union Promotions.
‘Happy Birthday Jesus’ Melbourne Trades Hall. Co-writer, performer. Producer: Union Promotions.
1996
‘Bus, Son of Tram’ Melbourne Comedy Festival. Solo mobile show. Creator, director, co-producer.
‘Denton’ Seven Network. Scriptwriter
1990
‘Lift-Off’ Australian Children’s Television Foundation. Scriptwriter
1989-94
Weekly columnist for The Sunday Age
1989
‘Fast Forward’ Seven Network. Producer, head writer, script editor
1988
‘Rod Quantock Inflates’ Melbourne Comedy Festival Solo show. Writer, director. Co-producer.
‘Bus’ Edinburgh Festival. Solo mobile show. Writer, director
Article, The Scotsman
‘Bus’ Sydney Festival. Solo mobile show. Writer, director
Arts Committee member of the Bicentennial BHP Awards for Excellence
1986
‘Bus, Son of Tram’ Melbourne Comedy Festival. Solo mobile show. Writer, director, co-producer.
1986
‘The Book program’ ABC-TV. Writer, presenter
1984
‘Australia, You’re Standing In It’ 6-part series, ABC-TV, Melbourne. Co-writer, script editor, performer
1984
‘Bus, Son of Tram’ The Comedy Café Theatre Restaurant. Solo mobile show. Creator, director, producer.
1983
‘Bus, Son of Tram’ Kinsellas, Sydney. Solo mobile show. Writer, director, co-producer.
‘Australia, You’re Standing In It’, 9-part series, ABC-TV, Melbourne. Co-writer, script editor, performer
ALL ROD’S SERIES 1 PREFORMANCES FOR AUSTRALIA YOUR STANDING IN IT
1982
‘Bus, Son of Tram’ The Comedy Café Theatre Restaurant. Solo mobile show. Creator, director
‘Bus, Son of Tram’ Kinlsellas, Sydney. Solo mobile show. Creator, director
1981
‘Ratbags’ 13-part series, Channel 10, Sydney. Writer, performer
‘Bus, Son of Tram’ The Comedy Café Theatre Restaurant. Solo mobile show. Creator, director, co producer.
1980
‘Old Blue Eyes Is Back’ The Comedy Café Theatre Restaurant. Solo show. Writer, director, co producer.
‘Tram’ The Comedy Café Theatre Restaurant. Co-producer, co-director, co-writer & performer, co producer.
1979
‘The Comedy Café Show’ The Comedy Café Theatre Restaurant. Co-producer, co-director, co-writer & performer.
Opened ‘The Comedy Café Theatre Restaurant’ – Co-owner.
1978
‘Hell on Blood Island’ Foibles Theatre Restaurant. Co-producer, co-director, co-writer & performer.
1977-94
Various shows Last Laugh Theatre Restaurant and Le Joke.
1977
‘Les Boys’ Foibles Theatre Restaurant. Co-producer, co-director, co-writer & performer.
‘The Wonderful World of Ducks’ Foibles Theatre Restaurant. Co-producer, co-director, co-writer & performer.
1976
‘The Razzle Dazzle Revue’ A.B.C.-T.V., Sydney, Co-writer & performer.
‘Bondi Pavlova’ Bondi Pavilion, Sydney. Co-writer & performer.
Review, TheatreScope
‘The Wunderkind Rocketship Show’ Last Laugh Theatre Restaurant. Co-writer & performer.
‘Sunshine Over Nunnawading’ 13 episode, 30 minute radio serial, 3ZZZ Radio. Co-writer, performer.
1975
Various shows Flying Trapeze Café. Co-producer, co-director, co-writer & performer.
1975
‘Upstairs Upstairs: A Pant-pant-pantomime’ Flying Trapeze Café. Co-producer, co-director, co-writer & performer.
1974-78
Various shows Flying Trapeze Café. Co-producer, co-director, co-writer & performer.
1973
‘Sennitt’s Ice-cream Show’ Pram Factory. Co-producer, co-director, co-writer & performer.
1972
‘His Mother’s Baby Boy’ Guild Theatre. Solo show, producer, director, writer & performer
1971
‘How Many Sugars Do You Have In Your Nose Vicar’ Guild Theatre, Melbourne University. Producer, director, co-writer & performer’’
1969-72
Melbourne University Architects Revue Co-writer & performer. (Producer, director 1970.)
1954
‘Nativity Play’ West Coburg Baptist Church. Role of the Guiding Star.