My Audience reviewed by Jo Caulfield
This is a review of the audience watching Jo Caulfield’s performance by Jo Caulfield.
First impressions are very important in comedy. The accepted wisdom being, the audience have 2 minutes before the comedian makes up their mind about them.
With that in mind, this audience lost me in the first 30 seconds. Does no-one dress up for an evening out nowadays? I’ve seen better dressed wounds. My first thought was “it surely can’t be laundry day for everyone?”
But first impressions can also be deceptive as they quickly won me over by laughing at my first joke. I’m not 100% convinced they all understood it but the thicker members of the audience showed their willingness to join in and pretend they were enjoying themselves.
At times I found the audience slightly predictable. I’ve heard audiences laughing and clapping before, but at least this drunken rabble tried to put their own slant on it.
The front row were virtually pleading to be picked on and felt no embarrassment as they shared their complete ignorance and stupidity with the rest of the room. The bald man with the shiny dome, the group of ladies with the good hair and a family of slightly bemused Americans were all particularly fun, but having said that, I still wouldn’t want to spend any time with them if they weren’t paying to be in my company.
This audience doesn’t just engage with the performer, they went for a full-blown civil partnership. Their reaction to my section on my best friend’s dating options fell a little short of the mark but, sensing this, they soon regrouped and applauded the punchline.
As we approached my final wonderful routine this audience totally won me over, as they lapped up my brilliant deadpan delivery and exquisite timing. The only sour note was the miserable old bastard who had sat in the front row with his arms crossed. But hey! – that’s a Scotsman Newspaper reviewer for you.
I would certainly recommend this audience to other comedians, and should they ever find a way to deal with their persistent coughing and constant trips to the bathroom, I don’t think it’s long before this audience will be appearing at more prestigious venues.
5 stars
Click to book tickets for Jo Caulfield
The Stand Comedy Club 5 (Venue 319)
19:50
Aug 9-13, 15-20, 22-27, 1 hour.
The Stand Comedy Club 5 (Venue 319)
19:50
Aug 9-13, 15-20, 22-27, 1 hour.
