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FINDHORN UNIVERSAL HALL - Decemeber 2011

There was no mercy for those sitting in the front row at Jo Caulfield's comedy gig in the Universal Hall, Findhorn, last Saturday. The comedienne makes short work of probing her audience as a source for some hilarious banter.

Known for her acerbic humour, Jo Caulfield is democratic with her comedy, shining the light on her nearest and dearest as well as working the audience. In this show, 'Cruel to be Kind', she covered things that anger or annoy her, from irritating girlfriends to self-scan checkouts. She also collects pet peeves from her audience during the show to add more grist to the comedy mill.

She has received considerable critical acclaim, including being likened to her own inspiration, Joan Rivers. And deservedly so.

With her wicked grin and a twinkle in the eye, Jo Caulfield makes an entertaining tour-guide around the absurd frustrations of modern society. After seeing this show, you may never view your world in quite the same way again.

The List - December 2011

One of Britain's sharpest comedians.

Gigglebeats.co.uk - March 2011

Closing Saturday’s show at the Tyne Theatre was Jo Caulfield, who delivered a wonderfully enjoyable set that was so well crafted. Caulfield commanded the stage beautifully, engaged the audience with her life observations, and provided a commercially strong and intelligent end to the evening.

The Northern Scot - December 2011

Born in Wales to Irish parents, and raised in the Midlands, Jo cut her teeth as a comedienne while waitressing in London in her early twenties. After winning an open-mic comedy competition, she set up her own comedy club in a pub in Hampstead, north London, and spent five years learning to work a live audience. During this time she developed the hallmark fluency that she uses to ad lib through much of her set, blending her own material with anecdotal asides drawn from the room.

Since then, Jo has toured nationally and internationally, doing gigs in the US, across Europe and Asia, as well as several UK tours, including appearances at the Edinburgh Fringe and London's biggest comedy clubs.

She has worked for the BBC as a warm-up act for programmes such as 'Have I Got News For You', and as a comedy writer on many shows. She has received considerable critical acclaim, including being likened to her own inspiration, Joan Rivers.

Edinburgh Evening News - December 2010

The headliner was Jo Caulfield. A TV regular and with many a successful touring show, it was great to see her in this intimate venue.

What you expect from a someone of Caulfield’s experience and skill is a slick set, full of cracking observations all performed with verve, energy and great timing and that is exactly what you get.

The key to Caulfield’s success is recognition. Not everyone might have had a bad experience on a train or battled wits with shop staff, but everyone has been in a relationship and her insights into the differences between the first flush of love and the familiarity and dullness of long-term relationships had the crowd wincing as they laughed.

remotegoat.co.uk - November 2010 ( * * * * * )

Being dubbed the funniest woman in Britain should be hard to live up to, but Jo Caulfield carried it off in style as The Cornwall hosted it’s second events evening.

Jo immediately took advantage of the intimacy of the Acorns salon to build a fast rapport with the audience, sussing out those who liked to drink, highlighting the lady with the best breasts and even discovering how many women in the room had been flashed. Using her warmth and fast wit and by sharing her own domestic secrets, Jo elicited intimate personal details from the audience that quickly became comedy fodder.

Jo’s observational comedy comes thick and fast in a constant stream of acerbic stories about life, the universe and everything - stories we can all relate to as she wrestles with the self-scanner in Tesco. Jo discusses irritating friends, negotiating with terrorists, celebrity perfumes, bespoke kitchens and a visit to HMV that culminates in having dinner with people she doesn’t know. This amazingly funny lady sucks up the minutiae of everyday life spitting it back out with a bitchiness that her comedy idol, Joan Rivers, would be proud of. With a wicked smile and a sparkle in her eye, Jo’s harsh comedy rantings lose their cruelty as she exposes her own foibles and failings alongside ours.

Laugh out loud funny from start to finish, Jo Caulfield scored a hit at The Cornwall; we can only hope that she returns with more wit and wisdom in the near future.

about.com - August 2010

Pick of the Edinburgh Fringe - Top Comedy Highlights at Edinburgh

Jo Caulfield: Cruel To Be Kind

Radio 4 comedian and regular on television comedy shows, she’s famous for her razor sharp wit. Expect a celebration of anger. The “Observer” called her “Wonderfully bitchy”.

One 4 Review - August 2010 ( * * * * * )

I have a lot of respect for Jo Caulfield as a performer whether the performance medium is TV, Radio, or for me where she really excels live on stage doing stand-up and have had the good fortune to see her a number of times.

As usual playing to busy houses in Stand III, Jo hits the stage running immediately interacting with the audience, asking questions to get her reference points, and then off we go, buckle in for the ride.

Ms Caulfield has a variety of material in her locker on wide and diverse subjects, some she involves the audience with, others she relates, but as always with her show, it is well observed, excellently written and impeccably delivered. The crowd were with her from the off, and remained with her throughout the hour, a lot too short for most I feel.

Annoying friends, perfumes, and her very own Fairy Tale were just three of the subjects I felt were highlights, but in reality there were no lows.

Finishing in a similar way to the start an audience poll was taken in order to assist in an article she is writing and then it’s all over for another night.

I feel this is probably the best show I have ever seen her deliver and thoroughly recommend that you check it out for yourselves.

The Scotsman - August 2010 ( * * * * )

Fringe veteran — and no, that doesn’t mean wrinkly, she’s actually a bit of a fox - Jo Caulfield is back to show the trendy young Turks how it’s done.

Her theme is things that make her angry, and apart from programme-makers who favour said young Turks because both sides speak fluent “plummy”, the list includes job-nabbing Sue Perkins and sick-making new couples.

There’s a corker of a section involving a chance encounter in HMV that spiralled out of control, tales of her “girly-girl” pals, real-world/bitter fairy stories that had the audience hooting, and the joy of other people’s children. To be honest, there’s little anger, and a heck of a lot of laughs. If not for the fact that reviewers get in free, I’d say the end sequence, in which the audience helps with research for an upcoming magazine article, is worth the price of admission. As it is, you can decide for yourself should you go to see one of the most distinctive and witty voices on the comedy circuit.

Scotsgay - August 2010 ( * * * * )

If you like your stand up acts to have a savage edge book a ticket for Jo Caulfield at The Stand. The phrase Cruel to Be Kind is in the title and indeed, there is very little kindness evident in Caulfield’s show.

Caulfield’s on-stage demeanour is blunt, acerbic and downright, unashamedly bitchy. Her stories and observations are punctuated with poisonous but highly pertinent gags (such as a brilliantly vicious aside about BBC comedy) and Caulfield is adept at audience humiliation. Who’s complaining? Not Caulfield’s audience that’s for sure (who were roaring for more punishment like tickled whores).

Caulfield is a highly recommended act this year: she is a gripping performer. The jokes and one-liners still come thick and fast in a particularly slick hour. Caulfield’s routine ends with a ‘survey’ into the sexual experiences of the audience. She’ll no doubt get some interesting answers throughout the month.