“Humour has always been my coping mechanism. I grew up in a big, unconventional working-class family. If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry, and we preferred laughing.”
So speaks comedian Kayleigh Jones who’s brings her award-winning comedy show ‘I Fed My Dad To A Pelican‘ to her home town of Oxford, as she hits OFS on April 16, following a critically acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Fringe.
‘I promise it’s much funnier than it sounds’
The true story of how, on Christmas morning 2010 she discovered her dad wasn’t her dad, and her real dad was someone else, I Fed My Dad To A Pelican follows her nine-year quest to track down her biological father. And the pelican part? You’ll have to see it for yourself.
This joke-packed storytelling hour is also punctuated by hilarious original songs that have become audience favourites, Kayleigh also being a keen ukulele player. And having wowed audiences all over the country, winning awards and accolades wherever she goes, winning Mervyn Stutter’s Spirit of the Fringe Award was a highlight.
‘Beneath the madness, it’s about identity and family, and that felt worth sharing’
“Edinburgh was surreal,” she remembers. “There are thousands of shows there, many backed by big PR teams and serious marketing budgets, whilst I was self-producing (with support from the Keep It Fringe Fund), so when the nomination was announced on social media, I genuinely couldn’t believe it. It felt like a real honour to be recognised in that way,” she says.
But finally Kayleigh is bringing I Fed My Dad To A Pelican back to her hometown. So how did the show came about and why? “This particular story was one that, whenever I told it, people would stare at me and say, “What the hell? You should write a book.” So naturally, I thought, absolutely not, I’ll write a comedy show.’
“I also wanted to tell it because it’s wild and gossipy and full of events I can mine for comedy, and I knew there would be people who related to it. Beneath the madness, it’s about identity and family, and that felt worth sharing,” she says.
‘Comedy is a powerful way to explore something complicated without making it heavy’
“Originally, I wanted to write a full-blown comedy musical with a huge opening number and dramatic comedy ballads running throughout. In my head, it was very West End.
“In reality, once the story took shape, it needed a different tone. The musical elements are still there, but they’re woven in more naturally and support the storytelling rather than overpowering it.”
Was it hard airing such a personal subject? “My biggest concern was my mum’s reaction; she’s a huge presence in the story and, thankfully, a naturally funny character. Once I knew she was on board, I felt free to go for it.
‘It’s great to know that people feel seen after watching my show’
“Plus, enough time has passed since the main events that I’m not telling it from a raw place anymore. I think audiences can feel that, so they feel comfortable. I lean into the comedy of the story and the chaotic family dynamics, which means that the audience often sees their own families reflected back at them.
Which presumably has been cathartic? “It was, honestly,” she says. “It’s such a surreal thing to happen to you that sharing it out loud feels strangely validating. But the most meaningful part has been people coming up to me after shows, or emailing me, to share their own stories about family secrets or identity shocks. It’s great to know that people feel seen after watching my show.
‘I wanted to make sure it was properly ready before I brought it to Oxford’
“Comedy can be a protective blanket, but it’s also a powerful way to explore something complicated without making it heavy,” Kayleigh adds.
So what took her so long to bring it to Oxford? “I actually previewed the show in a pub in Watlington in 2025 before heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, but I wanted to make sure it was properly ready before I brought it to Oxford and after a full month-long run in Edinburgh, it feels like the right time.
Is Kayleigh Oxford born and bred then? “We moved to Oxfordshire in 2020 and have very much made it our forever home. We love it here. And Oxford will be the first date of my little tour, which feels very special. There’s something lovely about starting at home. I’ve seen so many brilliant shows at The Old Fire Station, it’s one of those venues that consistently champions exciting Fringe work, so bringing my own show there feels special.
‘It’s a night of big laughs, unexpected twists, original songs and a story that audiences really connect with’
“So come and see it. It’s a night of big laughs, unexpected twists, original songs and a story that audiences really connect with. And I promise it’s much funnier than it sounds!”
Kayleigh Jones’ ‘I Fed My Dad to a Pelican’ comes to OFS on April 16. Book here: https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/i-fed-my-dad-to-a-pelican/
