One of the most prolific, creative and longest serving performers on the circuit, in a career spanning four decades, writer and comedian Jo Caulfield went from folk music to becoming one of the most influential comedians in British comedy. Growing up in an Irish family in London, Caulfield enjoyed comedy influences from a very young age as a result of being led by the television which her parents enjoyed. One of the only comedians who she identified with was Dave Allen but while others appreciated the zany sketches, it was his unique approach to stand up which captured her interest. Allen was among the first groups of comedians to realise that just by sitting down you could change the interaction with the audience and this proved a constant throughout his career. Jo was fascinated by the way that just by sitting in a chair, Allen had the audience in the palm of his hand and for a young girl, this was a revelation.
Yet comedy wasn’t always on Jo’s agenda. Moving to London in 1981, she joined a rockabilly group playing the drums around pubs and clubs of the city in amongst spells of waitressing. Coming from a middle class Welsh/Irish family, the lure of showbiz was a million miles from anything that she had ever experienced. Yet a chance meeting with comedy powerhouse Lenny Henry would unknowingly put Jo on the path to what would become her world for the rest of her life. Ironically her sister: the writer Annie Caulfield penned a plethora of plays for the BBC including After You’ve Gone and The Truck. During the 1980’s, Annie frequently wrote for Lenny and invited Jo to the recording and this would be the setting where her love affair with comedy would take off.
It wasn’t until she saw Jack Dee live for the first time that she even considered stand up as a viable option. He seemed unlike any of the performers she had previously seen and his nonchalant attitude towards his material appealed to the anarchist in her. Finally this was a comedian who spoke Jo’s language and didn’t give a shit about anything; not even the audience, the jokes or being liked or not. Ironically, Dee himself hadn’t always had this deadpan style and began his career as a normal joke teller but suffered from the harshest of audiences. On one particular occasion, he became moody and sarcastic and the audience seemed to like it, therefore creating an understated, grumpy alter ego and never looked back. This appealed to Jo and from then on, she set about cultivating her own earthly style.
The 1980’s was a progressive era for comedy with Alternative Comedy embracing everyone from all genders, colour and creed. Don Ward’s Comedy Store in Soho became the first of its kind to cultivate a brand of comedy devoid of racism, sexism and homophobia which rebelled against the fixed concepts of 1970’s Britain. It reflected a certain generation that wasn’t being represented within mainstream entertainment. This became a total revolution for Jo’s generation as suddenly female comics were taking over periods, the menopause, feminism and other social issues in 1980’s Britain. Caulfield perfectly suited this revolution with her slightly irreverent take on life and ability to find the comedy in all aspects of everyday life.
Part of this comic presence was cultivated at the annual Edinburgh Fringe where for the whole of August every year, the world of comedy comes together for the ultimate showcase of creativity. The main benefit of Edinburgh is that it introduces performers to agents and commissioners who may be pivotal to their later careers. This was to happen to Jo when the commissioning editor for Comedy on Radio 4 happened to be in the audience at one of her shows and resulted in her radio series Jo Caulfield Won’t Shut Up. Therefore for Jo, Edinburgh was really important as without this experience, she may have never secured a vehicle of her own.
Despite her vast comedy accomplishments, it seems astonishing that Jo merely made her Royal Variety Performance debut as late as 2020 in the middle of lockdown. This was an altogether different experience than the normal pomp and ceremony of usual shows, devoid of audience interaction and approval from a member of the royal family. Instead performers were forced to cope with virtual laughter which was timely pumped through the theatre speakers to identify the end of a joke. For such a prestigious occasion which many performers view as the very pinnacle of their career, this was an extremely unprecedented and unusual event. Yet Jo’s experience as a comedian allowed her to make the most of the evening despite being isolated from most of the elements which made it feel like a normal gig. Nevertheless, this is still a rite of passage which Jo can now tick off her bucket list and for that she remains proud.
So, whether she’s headlining the Comedy Store or doing a four minute spot at the Royal Variety Performance, Jo forever stays true to the relaxed, irreverent, sarcastic persona which she has cultivated for the past four decades. In an ever changing world where comedy evolves with fashion, Jo Caulfield’s sharp, understated observations about middle class life shall forever be relevant and just like her heroes, she has now become part of the comedy establishment.
Beyond The Title