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 set. But then again why would she be nervous? Caulfield is something of a comedy veteran performing at comedy clubs for over a decade and in that time has 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 and all the soppy things she does, she 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 with the only slight niggle in the back of your head that her discussion of the recession, MP expenses and a quick little joke about the death of Michael Jackson are topics which are more than likely to be discussed in graphic detail by every single comedian at the Festival.
While Caulfield is on great form tonight, playfully teasing the front row with some lightning quick one liners, it isn’t quite the five star show the audience is hoping for, a long section involving a bartering system doesn’t quite work and you find yourself patiently waiting for her to rant some more about the stupid things her husband does.
Regardless, for an opening night, Jo Caulfield does a stellar job jamming an hour and half’s worth of material into her hour set. Cheeky, fun, and deliciously accurate observations, this could, with some minor tweaks and a more focussed style, potentially be one of the shows to watch.
4/5 
Martin Miller
(3 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
Loading ...