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| Jo Caulfield always delievers. Her shows are consistently laugh-out-loud funny, and her audience interaction is a joy to watch. So make sure you book tickets for Jo Caulfield at The Stand. In fact, so confident am I of her abilities that if you do not enjoy her show following my recommendation I will treat you to a slap-up feast at a restaurant of your choosing. |
| SCOTSGAY (FRINGE RECOMMENDATIONS) |
| Jo Caulfield is one of Radio 4’s treasures, with her glorious mixture of bitchy friendliness, waspish likeability and foot-in-mouth populism - but always with charm. |
| www.BBC.CO.UK (JUNE 2010) |
| Jo Caulfield is your classic stand-up: from an Irish background, she’s a convent-educated lapsed Catholic. She’s also funny. She held a full house apparently effortlessly for two hours including break. An excellent act. |
| NOTTINGHAM EVENING POST (MARCH 2010) |
| The begining was taken up with Jo giving a bit of background information about herself, before launching into 100 hilarious stories about her life as a comedian and a woman growing old disgracefully. Proving her true talent as a funnywoman, Jo’s crowd engagement and heckling handling was suberb. |
| ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS (MARCH 2010) |
| She’s a total class act, and a must-see for anyone who loves their comedy fresh, fierce and brilliantly crafted. |
| GRIMSBY TELEGRAPH (FEBRUARY 2010) |
| Jo Caulfield must be the most loveable bitch on the comedy circuit. Within minutes I was glad that I had rejected the offer of a table for two in the front row but by the end I was sort of sorry that I had. She picks on people for sure – but in a weirdly caring way. Caulfield is acerbic but in sweet way. I mean she has a poke at almost everyone but also at herself. I like a comedian who admits to being fallible and she is pretty fast to highlight her own shortcomings. That said she is pretty fast to shine the spotlight on those of her husband, her friends, shop assistants, politicians… Her description of going out for dinner with two people, newly in love, was side splittingly funny. Almost everyone in the room was cringing with self recognition. She took the joke on, and on, and on and we were almost begging her to stop as she described the sharing of a pudding with one spoon. Tears literally rolled down my face. |
| * * * * * LATEST 7 (FEBRUARY 2010) |
| Balancing the sugar was some pretty hard hitting material too. Get Caulfield on suicide bombers and she manages to make massive political mileage by trivialising their motivation. In a sense she seems almost apolitical, but she clearly is not. And although she mocks the promise of 72 virgins in heaven as reward for their sacrifice, your laughter becomes tinged with a bitter sadness and the terrible reality of the world of terrorists. Full marks too for a female comic who doesn’t use the stage solely to rant about the inadequacy of the male race. Oh she does do that, but in equal measure with the failings of womankind too. Later she tries out a sequence of new gags, written in the previous 24 hours. The audience is asked to rate them and she makes notes on a clip board. But really it gives her a chance to pillory us for what we find acceptable, what we find funny and what we find offensive. It would seem that in Brighton very little offends us. In a final blow she reads out the forms she has asked us to fill in on what we love and what we hate about our own town. It demonstrates precisely the speed of her wit, her intellect and her… well her bitchy cheek if I am honest. I loved her. |
| * * * * * LATEST 7 (FEBRUARY 2010) |
| “JO CAULFIELD: WON’T SHUT UP!” - Edinburgh Festival 2009 Jo Caulfield’s likeability as a stand-up is second to none. She has a natural charm, which enamors her audience from the moment she takes to the stage. Beginning with a brief discussion with members of the audience, she never comes across as intimidating, but simply charming and lovely – her vitriol is saved for things the audience can agree on. MPs’ expense claims, Dragon’s Den, and young loved-up couples all feel the wrath of Caulfield, and because they are all common hatreds, the audience is brought along for the ride. Live is where Caulfield shines, and this is because she is so strong at playing off the attitude of the room; at one point even berating me for getting in free with a press pass! If you like your comedians to be world class performers who never let the laughter quieten, Jo Caulfield is the woman for you. |
| SCOTSGAY (AUGUST 2009) |
| “JO CAULFIELD: WON’T SHUT UP!” - Edinburgh Festival 2009 Jo Caulfield is like a more rock n roll version of the people who listen to her on Radio 4. She makes derogatory, unmaternal remarks about ugly children, she loves a drink, she despises the schmaltzy romance of new couples, she’s lazy, and she mimes being shagged by her husband while she washes the dishes. It’s a subtle and very effective persona. This, and her natural comic timing, is what a Jo Caulfield show is all about. She speaks about familiar subjects such as the recession, drinking, ageing, marriage, supermarket check-outs – but they never feel tired, such is the quality of her delivery. |
| LONDON IS FUNNY (AUGUST 2009) |
| “JO CAULFIELD: WON’T SHUT UP!” - Edinburgh Festival 2009 There seem to be a lot of issues in the press recently casting aspersions on the number of female comedians around and even doubting their abilities. We here at one4review do not think that gender matters, if someone is funny, then they are funny. Full Stop. We also think that the sexes are both well represented with comedy talent and such an example of which was the show I witnessed last night. Jo Caulfield is a performer that is equally at home on television, radio or in the live gig format and she always has excellent material in abundance. This certainly was the case with her 2009 Fringe show ‘Won’t Shut Up’. Ms Caulfield told us from the start that she had an hour 20’s worth of material to pack into an hour slot, and boy did she try to get it all in, even over running she still had plenty of stuff to spare. The packed house (Ms Caulfield is no prima donna, happy to have reviewers in from day one) was royally entertained on a variety of subjects covering the currently topical subjects as Edinburgh trams, recession, and her plan to aid the recovery, an section on possible Dragon’s Den style inventions and their viability, the battle of the sexes and a daily updated section of new jokes that will be written daily for insertion into the show, how will she mange to cram even more in I have no idea. The overall impression I took away from the show was Class with a capital C. Jo has stage presence, a wicked sense of humour and enough material for two shows. So take my advice, check her out before the tickets are all gone and witness a really funny comedian, and it doesn’t matter a jot what sex, she has talent. |
| ONE4REVIEW (AUGUST 2009) |
| “JO CAULFIELD: WON’T SHUT UP!” - Edinburgh Festival 2009 It’s the opening night of the Edinburgh Festival and every comedian this side of the tram works must be nervous about trying out their material on the eager crowds. If Jo Caulfield is apprehensive she hides it well, delivering a gloriously fun filled and very funny hour. But then again why would she be nervous? Caulfield is something of a comedy veteran having gathered five star reviews, comedy awards and a brilliant word-of-mouth reputation. For once the hype is justified for Jo Caulfield is hilarious, combining social commentary and smart, warm and most important witty observations. From the opening rant about the state of the Edinburgh roads right up to the vitriolic attack on her best friend being in love, Jo has the audience in the palm of her hand. Her material is lively and brilliantly scattered, wringing laughs out of the events of the year. Jo Caulfield does a stellar job jamming an hour and half’s worth of deliciously accurate observations into her hour set. |
| HAIRLINE (AUGUST 2009) |
| “JO CAULFIELD: WON’T SHUT UP!” - Edinburgh Festival 2009 This was entertainment at its very best. Sharp, clever and acerbic. A slick funny hour of intelligent thoughts, “Won’t Shut Up!” demonstrates why Jo Caulfield is one of the country’s leading female comedians. A session of banter with the whole of the second row was live comedy at its best - skilful, teasing, and ready to take a heckle. Great stuff. Thoroughly enjoyable and her passion for her craft shows in her relationship with the audience. If you want to laugh in a convivial non-confrontational atmosphere, get a ticket, if you can! |
| EDFRINGE.COM (AUGUST 2009) |
| “JO CAULFIELD: WON’T SHUT UP!” - Edinburgh Festival 2009 Pick Of The Week: BBC Radio mainstay and panel show favourite Jo Caulfield can always be relied on for sharp, on-the-nose but always likable observational comedy |
| THE GUARDIAN (AUGUST 2009) |
| “JO CAULFIELD: WON’T SHUT UP!” - Edinburgh Festival 2009 A measured, consistent, professional hour of stand up: Caulfield’s observational barbs are expertly aimed, and her timing exemplary. There are some cracking lines. Caulfield does well on the slave labour unblinkingly performed at Tesco’s self-service checkouts, and on domestic drudgery: “My perfect kitchen? I’m not fucking in it!” And there’s some amusing goading of the Scots, the observation that “you can’t tell whether they’re smiling or contemplating suicide” sparking a wave of self-deprecating titters. |
| THE SKINNY (AUGUST 2009) |
| Jo Caulfield is at the top of her game. She writes a brand new show every year, so even if you’ve seen her before you can expect to laugh all over again. She is one of the most consummate stand-ups in the business, and one of the most consistently funny. |
| * * * * * SCOTSGAY (AUG 2008) |
| Caulfield’s gig could best be described as a non-stop laughter fest. Even the harshest critic couldn’t help but be won over by her startlingly sharp routines. It’s easy to see why she’s in such demand as both a writer and a performer, and why her shows sell out so quickly wherever she goes. It’s a great night out that nobody should miss. |
| BBC.Co.UK Cambridgeshire |
| Best Of The Fest 2008: A wit so sharp it could slice through steel. |
| * * * * the scotsman (aug 2008) |
| With her quick, precise humour, Jo Caulfield always stays in complete control: even her contact lens falling out doesn’t faze her. She’s got a wit as sharp and sparkling as her diamante bling rings. And there’s a difference between being a bitch - she’s far too likeable for that - and being bitch-y. Bitchy can be funny, and Jo Caulfield, luckily for us, is still that. |
| * * * * THREEWEEKS (AUG 2008) |
| “JO CAULFIELD: TWO-FACED BITCH?” - Edinburgh Festival 2008 Being constantly referred to as ‘Bitchy’ in the press was the impetis for Jo Caulfield’s latest show “Two Faced Bitch?” Through a number of personal stories and a disection of many cultural and topical issues, Jo set out to prove that she wasn’t a bitchy as others made her out to be, even going so far as letting the audience be the judge in this ‘trial’. If the audience deemed her to be bitchy, they would each be compensated. The show covered her year since last Fringe that broached a wide range of topics. These allowed Jo to insert many a barbed comment in keeping with her bitchy schtik. She launched into extended stories that, more often than not, demonstrated a wicked side to Jo. Just when you thought Jo was going to prove she wasn’t bitchy, the tale would veer off in another direction with hilarious results. She provided numerous moments of witty social analysis that the audience could easily relate to. Her comments were often of the type that the punters wished they could express if they they weren’t so damn polite. The howls of laughter that punctuated the hour demonstrated their appreciation of the service that Jo provided. Jo employed plenty of banter with the audience as a means of involving punters in the illustration her points, simultaneously getting in the bitchy remarks for which she is known and loved. Nothing was ever vicious or cruel, always light-hearted with the tiniest hint of venom in keeping with her persona. She was like a chatty friend who was very blunt, opinionated and always right. Her well spoken demenour softened the blow so no offence could be taken. When it came time to vote, the audience that I was a part of were much too polite to think ill of Jo, despite the overwhelming evidence against her. This probably threw her slightly but being the consumate professional, she was able to gently manipulate the crowd and wrap up the show in the way she intended. Jo Caulfield had the audience eating out of the palm of her hand. They hung on every word and were in histerics throughout. She may be bitchy, but they loved her for it. |
| GROGGY SQUIRREL WEBSITE (AUGUST 2008) |
| Jo Caulfield is incapable of doing a bad show, so sharp is her tongue and so in tandem is it with her mischievous mind. When it comes to delivering high-class comedy, Jo Caulfield is one sassy lady. |
| * * * * The Scotsman |
| Jo Caulfield is an excellent example of stand-up at its best. The material is keenly observational, well written and immaculately delivered by this extremely funny woman. |
| * * * * one 4 review (aug 2008) |
| Jo Caulfield is, clichés aside, a consummate professional, delivering a series of observations that are genuinely insightful. Throughout the show, she maintains a fine balance between smut and wit, intricately involves audience members as characters in the show and her final tale of a coup de grace involving her autograph is satisfyingly hilarious. |
| * * * * HAIRLINE.ORG.UK (AUG 2008) |
| There is an acerbic intelligence underlying Caulfield’s best material that accounts for her popularity with audiences. Her jokes and observations are so well crafted that she makes the whole endeavour seem effortless. |
| * * * * * SCOTSGAY (AUG 2008) |
| Probably the best female comedian on the British comedy circuit. We gave her five stars but she deserves six! |
| * * * * * BBC LDN (aug 2008) |
| Sharp-witted, urban comedy that goes down a treat. Like a sociology textbook, but with jokes. |
| The TIMES |
| Pick of the Day: One of the funniest women on the airwaves. |
| THE HERALD |
| If bitchiness is enough to condemn us to an afterlife with the devil, Jo Caulfield has sealed her fate. The comic has a friendly onstage manner but isn’t afraid to unleash a tongue that could slice through granite. |
| METRO.CO.UK |
| This clever comic is an expert at getting audiences on side, and appeals to men and women alike thanks to her ballsy, not ball-breaking, demeanour. This allows her to slip in risky comments with ease, and she gets away with some great bad taste jokes. |
| METRO.CO.UK |
| The star of Radio 4’s “It’s That Jo Caulfield Again” has a delightfully waspish act. She could bitch for Britain - in the nicest possible way. |
| The Independent |
| Jo Caulfield is a consummate storyteller with a winning irreverent streak. |
| BRUCE DESSAU, EVENING STANDARD |
| This year’s Fringe offers some very strong female comedians. At the top of the division is the excellent Jo Caulfield, who comes across on stage as your wicked best mate. She is gentle, chatty, non-confrontational, but nevertheless manages to be fantastically bitchy. |
| THE NEW STATESMAN |
| Jo Caulfield, witty, intelligent and very charming, this is one lady that attracts a full house. A fantastic comedian for men and women of all ages. If you haven’t been to see a show at the festival this would be a great place to start. Definitely not one to be missed. |
| * * * * * RADIO FORTH |
| Jo Caulfield has built up a cult following thanks to her Radio 4 series, and her live gigs always raise smiles. She’s a classical comedian, simply holding forth on whatever subjects vex her. She has a veritable armoury of put-downs, so heckle at your peril. |
| EVENING STANDARD |
| The headline acts are Jo Brand and Jo Caulfield, who you may have heard on Radio Four - if you haven’t, you should. She’s superbly bitchy - from Girls Aloud to Jamie Oliver, no one is safe. |
| GUARDIAN GUIDE |
| Her Edinburgh Festival shows have become legendary sell-outs. No matter who’s in the audience, they soon find themselves caught up in Jo Caulfield’s world - whether talking about her Irish Catholic mother or her bitching about various celebrities. At times, Jo Caulfield is the stand-up equivalent of a slasher movie: no celebrity is safe from being ripped to shreds by this well-spoken, well-dressed super-bitch. Yet no matter how hard the attack, Jo Caulfield always comes across as the audience’s friend and personal adviser. Go see. |
| Rainbow Network |
| This is a show packed with comedy gold. There is a reason her shows are constantly selling out. She’s fantastic. |
| * * * * * THREE WEEKS |
| For sheer entertainment it’s difficult to go past Jo Caulfield. Like a chilled white wine, she refreshes and never palls with her amenable yet acerbic observations… She’s a sharp observationist and her comedy is sophisticated yet accessible. It’s bloody good fun. |
| * * * * * Edinburgh Evening News |
| The demure-looking Caulfield has plenty of stories about her own life, as well as obscene jokes about the likes of Abi Titmuss, Richard and Judy and Girls Aloud. Do they make us laugh like a drain? Oh yes. Can we repeat them? If only. |
| * * * * THE GUARDIAN |
| Pick of the Day: Jo Caulfield entertains with her sardonic blend of bitchiness and cynicism about celebrity culture, current affairs and even her own friends. |
| LONDON LITE - FEBRUARY 2007 |
| Many of the points Jo Caulfield makes about the human condition would have sociologists stroking their beards in admiration, but her audiences tend to be laughing too much to notice. Do not miss her! |
| The Times |
| For several years Jo Caulfield has been one of the funniest female comics in the country. Her jokes are sharp, but her delivery is so friendly that she can get away with gags that less amiable comics might shy away from. |
| The Guardian |
| Best-known for her legendary one-woman shows, Jo Caulfield is definitely the rising star of women’s comedy. Her mixture of cutthroat wit and wildly accurate observation regularly brings audiences to their knees with laughter. Jo is undoubtedly charming. But don’t be fooled - with her razor sharp tongue, like Baby Jane on speed, no-one is safe. |
| Evening Standard |
| Critics Choice: Famous for being one of the sharpest female comedians, Jo Caulfield returns after selling out since 2000, with a show based on fairy tales and swapping partners. Drinking, sex and her own life are the favourite subjects of this Graham Norton scriptwriter. |
| EDINBURGH METRO |
| Hilarious. Top female Stand-Up. Funniest woman on the radio. |
| BBC Radio 4 – 2006 |
| Consistently entertaining and consistently overlooked - despite the dearth of female comedians. Will this be the year Caulfield wins an Award? Of course not. But her show will sell out again. |
| THE GUARDIAN |
| There can’t be many comedians who can lay claim to an 80-minute set of pure comedy gold, but Jo Caulfield – the writer behind Graham Norton’s comic diatribes – is definitely one of them. |
| * * * * * BBC.Co.UK Cambridgeshire - 2006 |
| This Week, Don’t Miss: Jo Caulfield kicks off a national tour delivering the kind of sharp, caustic wit you might expect from a woman who used to write for Graham Norton. Don’t miss her. |
| The Times – 2006 |
| Pick of the day. Scathing, bitchy and sharp-witted comedy. |
| Radio Times – January 2006 |
| Pick of the week. Jo Caulfield is certainly acidic, but never to the extent of alienating her audience. |
| The Independent – January 2006 |
| Top choice. Star of the Edinburgh Fringe. |
| Daily Mail – January 2006 |
| I never knew I could like a woman so much. I’m ashamed to say she made me wet myself. |
| Graham Norton |
| Person Of The Year 2006 |
| TIME MAGAZINE - 2006 |
| Funny stories... great throwaway lines... delightfully bitchy asides. Thank God for Jo Caulfield, an inspiration to would-be female comics. |
| The Observer |
| Jo Caulfield’s lively audience banter and beautifully timed material about life as a metropolitan thirtysomething is a nightly sell-out. |
| The Independent – August 2005 |
| This woman is feisty, filthy and will provide you with the necessary dose of invigorating comedy. |
| * * * * Three Weeks |
| Jo Caulfield, one of Graham Norton’s scriptwriters, is the sort of female stand-up who makes you feel better about female stand-up.She’s extremely good company, it's like having a one to one with a particularly acerbic friend. |
| The Times |
| Caulfield has outgrown her characteristic crowd-teasing bitchiness and is much more successful in observational mode. Her account of how Argos caters perfectly to the chav market is hilariously insightful. So keep your head down, say the right thing and you might get out unscathed. |
| Fest Online – August 2005 |
| Top 5 Comedy Nationwide: The star of Radio 4’s It’s That Jo Caulfield Again mixes observational comedy with sharp-witted audience interaction. |
| The Times – January 2006 |
| Spontaneous wit and a natural ability. The mark of a great comedian. |
| * * * * Edinburgh Metro |
| The mordant Jo Caulfield can be relied upon to offer a stinging commentary on all the disappointments in life. Celebrities are especially ripe for evil thoughts, and Caulfield’s set can sometimes seem like a particularly acerbic edition of Heat magazine. The cynical material is matched with her quick still with audience banter, making for a fluid, guiltily enjoyable set. |
| Chortle |
| The headline act was Jo Caulfield. Described as feisty but friendly, Caulfield takes no prisoners on her ruthless comedy rampage. Striding through all manner of topics, from Jorvick Fudge to council estates, and from middle class parents and their children to house parties, Caulfield destroys all in her path. Despite this clearly evident bitter streak, her comedy is familiar and comforting. Hearing Caulfield, one feels good about themselves and their life, able to see it from a somewhat funny, always irreverent, perspective. |
| * * * * * BBC.CO.UK – April 2005 |
| Wicked gags. Feisty wit. Always sharp. It’s just a matter of time before she becomes a stand-up star in her own right. |
| The Guardian |
| Jo Caulfield is the most confident female comic on the circuit. The show is divided into three parts. There’s the role model bit, with audience suggestions, the Scotland for Dummies guidebook, and the final bit where off-subject Jo can really let rip with some evil one liners and machine gun delivery of very funny gags. Go see. Rosy, Cheeky, Quick and Bitchy. |
| Radio Newt – Aug 2004 |
| Very blonde, very bright, and very funny. Delights and shocks in equal measure. |
| Daily Mail |
| Following the sell-out success of her stand-up show last year, acerbic comedienne Jo Caulfield is back to remind everyone how easy she makes it look, bantering with the crowd and embarrassing everyone in the room in the process. |
| * * * * Edinburgh Metro – 2002 |
| And, if the packed-out room of the Pleasance, coupled with Caulfield’s spontaneous wit and natural ability to build a rapport with her crowd, serves as any kind of meter for success, she’s well on course to do it all over again. |
| * * * * EdINBURGH METRO |
| Brilliant. Very endearing. Feisty and garrulous |
| The Guardian |
| A great mix of observational humour and hilarious rants on life’s irritations... intelligent with masses of attitude |
| Crackin' Magazine – 2002 |
| Caulfield is the thinking man’s woman, peddling perfectly honed musings on life and love. |
| The List |
| Fresh, fearless and very funny. |
| Rory Bremner |
| Great blarney charm. Caulfield should be sampled and savoured. |
| Herald |