Podcast Recording

In January & February I'll be doing this...

The Skinny called the last show: "One of the most thrilling comedy experiences available in Scotland"

One4Review said it was a "must see monthly event"...

...and The Scotsman said "it's a brave and interesting Petri dish of comedy, out of which comes some intriguing creations and ideas"

... Ooh, get us! We're Arty.

Findhorn Review - December 2011

Cruelty...of a kind (Northern Scot review)

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.

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.

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.

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.

Published 09/12/2011

Original review HERE

The Skinny review of The Comedy Collective...

What the Hell is going on at...Jo Caulfield's Comedy Collective?

PREVIEW BY BERNARD O'LEARY.

PUBLISHED 01 DECEMBER 2011

Comedians and comedy audiences can sometimes grow weary of each other. If you're a regular comedy-goer, you'll find your patience wearing thin with hearing acts that are fundamentally the same, over and over again. So thanks be to Jo Caulfield for riding to the rescue and providing something a bit different with monthly night the Comedy Collective.

Caulfield provides ballast to the proceedings, bringing a bit of that's-her-off-the-telly glamour and warming the crowd up nicely with her considerable MCing skills. She also carefully reminds everyone that tonight is about the audience taking a risk as much as the comedians. Some bits might be shit, but we should keep faith with the spirit of the show. She's really good at this, making the audience feel less like customers and more like conspirators, sitting in a dingy basment and plotting a comedy revolution.

The acts are a nicely chosen selection of reliable pros and enthusiastic up-and-comers. The normal pecking order is abandoned and in tonight's performance we get to see two collaborations between comedians at different levels of experience: Vladimir McTavish and Gareth Waugh line up as Edinburgh's worst improv duo, while JoJo Sutherland appears in a sketch as Eleanor Morton's mum. Further permutations include Keara Murphy doing a lecture-style piece co-written by Spencer Adair, while established duo Jay Lafferty and Dee Custance get to collaborate with some penguin costumes (available in Asda, according to Caulifeld).

The highlight of these experiments is a new panel show called The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, with Keir McAllister, Graeme Thomas and Richard Melvin. The format owes a little to Dave's Argumentalseries, but like all panel shows it's really the chemistry of the performers that matters, and these three really click. This section is set to take on a life of its own with a series of six podcast recordings scheduled for the start of next year.

There's a unique atmosphere at this gig. Some bits, understandably, don't work very well, but the audience get behind every act, and the comedians seem to thrive on the positivity. Tonight, we're rewarded for our good spirits with an appearance by improv masters Stu & Garry who do a Newsnight-style review of the preceding acts. If Caulfield is the foundation of the Comedy Collective, Stu & Garry are the dollop of cream on top. They're agonisingly funny and the perfect ending to one of the most thrilling comedy experiences available in Scotland.

Original review HERE

Occupy Wall Street

Love this picture.

Cartoon by... Damn, forgot his name!

Review of Comedy Collective (24 Nov 2011)

Review of the Edinburgh Comedy Collective at The Stand Comedy Club

24/11/2011 by One4Review

Now for those of you who are regular visitors to this site will be aware that we at one4review are big fans of the Stand Comedy Club, and this reviewer is also a huge admirer of Jo Caulfield too. So imagine my delight to see Jo and friends performing this different comedy night on which is sure to become a ‘must see’ monthly event.

This is no normal comedy night. Hell no! Not 4 acts and a compere here, although we do have a selection of some of the best comics on the circuit appearing and of course Ms Caulfield as mein host is in charge, what we do have is, character comedy, sketches, impro comedy and even a excerpt of a comedy game show all linked with laughter and style by our impeccable hostess.
Having done a successful warm-up of the enthusiastic Wednesday night crowd, she introduced the first double act, up and coming Gareth Waugh joined forces with his ‘dad’, the ever popular Vladimir McTavish as ‘The Third most popular Impro group in South Edinburgh.’ This was a nice and gentle set to get things moving, and engaged with the crowd from the off. The packed programme restricted them to a short spot but one that was well worth witnessing.

Character comedy continued next as two penguins fro BBC One’s Nature programme graced the stage. These two chatting between takes had an interesting yet funny take of bird life, complete with penguin gags, yet well hidden in their costumes Jay Lafferty and Dee Custance played their slightly quirky set as only they can and there is plenty of scope in their set for development.
Following the first interval Keira Murphy was the lady in the spotlight and showcased her comedy acting and mimicry talents while delivering a very funny and well written set on the history of women in TV. As always Ms Murphy’s stage presence is imposing and it was good to see her performing once again at the very top of her game.

Close on her heels was a sneak preview of a game show that will be recorded in the New Year and featured Richard Melvin as host of ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’. The game, similar in some ways to Dave’s ‘Argumental’, pitted the very considerable talents of Keir McAllister and Graeme Thomas presenting the case either for or against topics taken from the recent news, the winning argument being judged on audience reactions. This of course gave these guys plenty of scope to duel with each other and howls of laughter were the order of the day from the packed crowd. I certainly could have stood far more of this section.

Heading towards the end now and following the brief second interval a teenage ghost, okay Eleanor Morton with a sheet and a baseball cap, had a few minutes of surreal humour prior to being dragged away by overbearing mother Jojo Sutherland. This I’m afraid was the only part of prceedings that for me anyway didn’t work, but they gave it a go, it was something that the concept of the night was designed to encourage taking people out of their comfort zone after all.
All over then? Not yet!! We needed a review of proceedings, other than mine that is, and who better than those intrepid Impro all stars Stu Murphy and Garry Dobson. Employing their pet impro game ‘Should have said’. These two brought the show to new heights with an absolute hoot of a performance as the man from Radio 4 discussing with Aussie commentator Murphy the whole proceedings.

At that was it. A long night, but an absolute belter. It was good to see so many weel kent faces doing things other than their sets. This had the enjoyment factor flowing from the stage too, it was almost palpable as they watched what their peers where getting up to.
I feel that the concept of this show has a potential cult following, and I’m sure acts too will be queuing up to perform. As no doubt will the audiences too. I was forced by circumstances to miss the first couple of the series, a mistake that will not happen again I can assure you.
For details of all the shows on offer at The Stand at Edinburgh, Glasgow or the new venture in Newcastle then check out the website www.thestand.co.uk

Reviewed by Geoff

Original Review here

Edinburgh Comedy Collective - 23rd November

Jo Caulfield's Comedy Collective

The Stand Comedy Club, 5 York Place Edinburgh

BOOK TICKETS: 0131 558 7272

Jo Caulfield presents an evening where Edinburgh’s finest comedians experiment with the medium of stand-up. Expect something a little bit different. Expect stand-up, sketches, character comedy....and comedians crying as it all goes wrong.

Featuring:

Gareth Waugh & Vladimir McTavish - the World’s WORST Improv act.

Eleanor Morton & Jojo Sutherland - the World’s WORST Musical act.

Comedians Graeme Thomas and Kier McAllistair go head-to-head in “The Joke-Off”.

Impressionist Keara Murphy pretends to be other people.

Joe Heenan performs as “Fred Nostradamus”, the slightly dangerous stuntman.

Comedians Jay Lafferty and Dee somebody (I want to say Cousins?) are booked to do something but haven't told me what it is. It probably involves kittens & cup cakes & girlie things.

Comedy double-act Stu & Gary will probably get drunk and insult the cast, the audience and the bar staff. Again.

Doors: 7.30pm Show: 8.30pm Tickets: £5.00 Members:£4.00

Article I Wrote: Food In Edinburgh

I Certainly Will Have Had My Tea - published in Edinburgh Evening News

12th September 2011

Here we are in the middle of an economic recession, mass unemployment and rising house prices - and how does Edinburgh react? By eating cupcakes.

I've never seen so many cupcake shops before.

Bibi's Bakery, Cuckoo's Bakery, Candy Cupcake, Ever So Sweet - you can't swing a cat in this town without hitting a moist buttercream cake covered in chocolate sprinkles.

I'm not complaining I have a sweet tooth. I also have a savoury tooth. OK, I'll admit it, I just love food. Which is a good thing because Edinburgh has a lot of interesting eateries.

There's a fish and chip shop on the Grassmarket that'll deep-fry anything. Mars bars, hamburgers, salads, heart disease tablets. You bring it in - they'll stick it in the fryer and try to kill you.

Don't you wish fish and chip shops still wrapped their food in newspapers? Come on, just think how much more enjoyable this column would be if it came with a mince pie.

There's a couple of great Italian restaurants at the top of Leith Walk and another great one on North Bridge.

I really like Italian food but I've never understood their preoccupation with the pepper mill. In any other restaurant anywhere in the world the salt and pepper are on the table - but not in Italian restaurants. The waiter will bring a big mill to the table and sprinkle pepper onto your food. Why can't I do that? You trust me with a fork and knife - why don't you trust me with the pepper mill? Maybe they think I'll run amok, seasoning the food of nearby dinners?

I'm a big fan of Mums on Forrest Road. I like their simple comfort food. And I like the service. They're very attentive. And that's something I know a lot about because before I stumbled into the world of comedy I was a waitress. I was a waitress for many, many years. But I was a real maverick waitress. I played by my own rules. I took orders from no one.

I once served Sir George Martin in a North London bistro, and I don't care if he is referred to as "the Fifth Beatle" and considered to be one of the greatest record producers of all time, he only left a £1.50 tip on a £70 meal!

That explains why I prefer the Rolling Stones over the Beatles. It also explains the surprise Sir George will have received when he got home and opened his doggy bag of leftovers.

So, you've got the food right and you've got the service right, what else do you need for a good restaurant? The layout.

We visited a bar/restaurant on Rose Street recently. We were shown to our table and it was only after sitting down I realised I was opposite the door to the gents toilets. Every couple of minutes another man would enter or exit giving me a clear view into the gents. Not a pretty sight when you're trying to eat. It put me straight off my plate of chipolatas.

Still, it could have been worse - Victor Palsson could have been there.
I don't like restaurants that use a "Please Wait Here To Be Seated" sign. Especially when the restaurant is empty. And you're dining alone.

Last year I turned up early for my show at the Futurist Theatre in Scarborough. I was cold, I was tired after a long drive and I hadn't eaten all day so after the soundcheck I went to the Pizza Express next door and they seated me in the window. As someone who worked in restaurants I can tell you this is a trick to drum up business. Seat people by the window and it gives passersby the illusion the restaurant is busy and they will subconsciously remember it next time they're planning on eating out.Sounds like a great idea doesn't it? But I travel to most of my shows on my own. Its just me and a microphone. I don't need a tour manager, or roadies, or a personal assistant. It's just me. So the idea of sticking me in the window as an advert didn't really work. Not unless they were selling the idea of one slightly p***ed-off looking woman eating on her own. That's quite sad.
To make matters worse, the audience started queuing for my show - right outside the Pizza Express window.

Half way through my dinner I became aware that 200 people were standing outside the restaurant watching me. Waiting for me to do something funny. I don't know if you've ever tried to entertain a 200 strong audience through the method of mime, armed only with a Fiorentina Pizza - its not as easy as you'd think.

I'm still getting to know my neighbours so I ended the week off by inviting Shirley from next door in for afternoon tea. Big mistake. The water was boiling when I realised I'd run out of tea bags. I frantically searched through the cupboard and eventually found a box of posh tea I'd been given last Christmas. I don't know if Shirley thought I was slightly pretentious or slightly crazy as I served her a cup of Fortnum and Mason's finest Duchy Darjeeling - with a mixed plate of Jammy Dodgers and Tunnock's Caramel Wafers.

That's what you do here in Edinburgh, isn't it?

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/opinion/Jo-Caulfield-I-certainly-will.6834878.jp?articlepage=1