A review of Jo Caulfield Pearls Before Swine, Fringe 2024

Jo Caulfield is back in the iconic comedy venue The Stand, albeit The Stand 3 which I think only comes to life under the Stand banner during the Fringe.

Mind you, it does have a bar.

I like that we’re given two times; when the doors open and when the show starts. I got there a bit after doors opened, got good seats, predicted we’d have to shuffle up as the show start approached and was right.

I had time to mull over a question that I still cannot answer: when and why did I start going to see Jo Caulfield during the festival?

I don’t remember, and it’s a mystery because Jo’s style of comedy – listing things that annoy her, poking fun at her husband, having a bit of a witty grumble – isn’t usually the sort of thing I’d go for. I think she might have hosted something I was at.

Jo makes me laugh, though. Frequently. I think it’s because her grumbling is charismatic and (largely) pretend mean. Also, she’s often right.

Tone

“Pearls Before Swine” is pure play comedy. There’s no meta arc, no cameo, and, save for £30 worth of lighting changes, no special effects. 

Jo sets out the stall from the outset. She’s rented the room, so she’s going to chat about what she wants, too. The good news is that she has an instinct for what’s bubbling away in most people’s minds.

There’s clearly a bit of a cult of Jo. I’ve not been to a Jo show where it was not packed with fans. I’m sure she’s an active local helps, but I suspect it’s all about her empathy. She may say there are no stories in “Pearls Before Swine”, but there is storytelling from a comedian expert in the art.

It’s an adult show but not raunchy. We’ve sex jokes, even audience interaction with the sex jokes, but this isn’t one of the Fringe shows that’ll create a scandal or go head to head with burlesque. A couple ahead of me on the way out debated whether Jo was ‘salty’ or ‘spicy’ and settled on ‘salty’.

What to expect

Stand 3 has flat seating and a bar in the corner, and it can get rather hot. Take your coat off before the show starts and consider bringing a paper fan.

Jo’s right up the front with barely an umbrella span between her and the first row. The chairs are tightly arranged, but rather than feel crowded, it just feels personable, popular and friendly. 

Expect something you relate to to be made fun of. That said, it’ll only be a little bit of exasperated fun. 

Jo introduced the night by saying she was going to crack on as about two hours or two shows’ worth of material was being condensed into one. It certainly felt good value for money. I suspect Jo could riff with the crowd for ages but didn’t need to and doesn’t—she gets on with it.

It’ ’s almost all new (to me) material too. I detected only a slight overlap with the year before, and that was only with some scene setting, which was worth it. For all I know, perhaps that whole part of the gig has undergone dramatic surgery since 2023. Either way, it doesn’t matter, as I got bang for my buck and “Pearls Before Swine” is a new show.

So, what to expect? Expect an hour of witty banter for a woman who lovingly tolerates her husband, her friends and life in general. Expect to laugh.

Overall

As I expected, I was surprised at how much I liked and laughed during Jo Caulfield’s “Pearls Before Swine”.

If you’ll tolerate another apparent oxymoron then I’ll say Jo as an expressive deadpan delivery. Each moan is well loved, well worn and carefully fitted. 

“Pearls Before Swine” is a sure-in for classic stand-up fans.