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Craig Quartermaine
PrintQuartermaine’s take on race, politics or Australian nuances is not always comfortable, but he takes pride in making you laugh when you really think you shouldn’t. Unique, with a biting perspective about life as an Indigenous Australian, Quartermaine’s dark wit sneaks up on you right before it smashes you in the face.
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Testimonials for Craig Quartermaine
Quartermaine's is the most perfectly delivered punchline you’re likely to see at the Fringe
The Wee Review (UK)
a once in a lifetime show that if you miss, you may never forgive yourself… Quartermaine destroys the crowd with incisive material that can’t be disputed
Australia Times
Quartermaine gives as good - and often better - than he gets
Chortle (UK)
Fee Range: Up to $5000
Craig Quartermaine's Biography
Unstimulated with a job driving trucks in the mining industry and his former life as an apprentice chef, Craig Quartermaine opted for a career change in his late twenties. Applying for and winning a broadcasting scholarship with ABC Radio set him on a new path, from where he was selected to contribute to the second season of Australia’s first Indigenous sketch comedy show, ABC TV’s hugely popular Black Comedy.
From here Craig went on to become the Western Australian correspondent for the National Indigenous Television network, NITV, before the proud Nyoongar man moved to Sydney to write for and appear on the successful first season of ABC TV’s hit ‘tonight show’ style program Tonightly with Tom Ballard. In 2018 Craig performed on triple j‘s first ever ‘One Night Stand-up‘ at their One Night Stand concert for 20,000 people in St Helen’s, Tasmania. The clip of his spot, posted by ABC Comedy went viral, amassing over a million likes in 48 hours.
With his media career burgeoning, Craig was quietly hitting the open mic rooms of Perth, developing a passion for stand-up comedy that quickly led to him making the national finals in Australia’s most prestigious comedy competition – triple j’s RAW Comedy at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Shortly after this milestone achievement Craig headed off to play London’s West End before making his triumphant Edinburgh Fringe Festival debut with the spectacularly-received Race Off, where he introduced the Australian race dynamic to the world. This set him on his way to a hue European tour and catching the eye of comedy heavy-weights such as Hannibal Buress, Chris D’Elia, Nazeem Hussain and Jim Jefferies, all of whom have chosen Craig to open for them in packed out theatres across the country.
Quartermaine’s take on race, politics or Australian nuances is not always comfortable, but he takes pride in making you laugh when you really think you shouldn’t. Unique, with a biting perspective about life as an Indigenous Australian, Quartermaine’s dark wit sneaks up on you right before it smashes you in the face.
The accomplished journalist and TV writer is affectionately described by UK comedy bible The List as a “charming ball of rage”… don’t let the smile fool you and don’t let the laughs scare you.
Craig is also the Queensland Coordinator for the National Indigenous Culinary Institute.