Alan Davies has been a stalwart of British comedy TV for decades; he’s a beloved QI comedian, panel show regular, and, of course, was Jonathan Creek in the long-running BBC mystery series for almost two decades until 2016.
But at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, Alan is returning to his roots in his first stand-up comedy show for a decade in Think Ahead – and his presence has been well and truly noted.
While Alan admits he’s historically shied away from talking about his personal life on stage in the past – opting instead for jokes that are all good ‘people pleasing’ fun – this time he’s getting incredibly deep.
When the show began, with Alan’s ticklish fretting about his 60 plus status and everyday angsts – mopeds swerving in and out of cars; his youngest seriously pondering whether death or courgettes was a preferable fate; and a hilarious bit about giving a poo sample for a bowel cancer test – I thought we were in for more of the same.
The beauty of Alan is that even if he wasn’t making jokes – and they weren’t coming like the clappers – we were gripped anyway. His kindness seeps through every observation and tale, even when he feigns anger by shouting (a little too loudly) into the microphone.
Alan doesn’t need to shout. He can do so little and still be a joy to watch, with masterful comedic timing and storytelling structure. The laughter came easily from an audience wanting to feel close to a man who, let’s face it, everyone wants to be best pals with.
While his stories are chuckle-worthy, Alan shines when delving into his darkly comic imagination. What if his erectile dysfunction medication, with a risk of causing a heart attack, killed him mid-act during reverse cowgirl? What if, indeed.
But what sets Alan apart from many of his male peers is his brave and generous decision to share the story of his childhood abuse on stage. This bit wasn’t funny. Obviously. But that wasn’t the point.
In 2017, Alan pressed charges against his father for molesting him as a child.
Alan explained, while his breath shortened and he seemed visibly distressed, that he could talk about it now – albeit with on-stage PTSD.
Decades on, whenever people are walking outside his bedroom, Alan’s breathing shallows, remembering the time his father would enter and give him a ‘special cuddle’.
Alan’s father was too incapacitated with Alzheimer’s disease to be locked up, and he’s since died – though Alan doesn’t know where. He didn’t go to the funeral.
Understandably, Alan didn’t seem to fully relax into the show until this harrowing part was over: this is a topic that goes undiscussed for many men of his generation, which makes it more important he did just that.
Explaining why he wanted to veer into this experience during a comedy show, Alan noted that everyone in the audience likely has some trauma, and it’s important that we talk.
‘So that’s what that was,’ he added, with a sort of shrug as if to say: ‘Sorry!’. After a beat, the audience clapped in support, and Alan said this is the first time his story has triggered such a response during his Fringe run.
‘I’m quite moved,’ he admitted, before launching into the jollier tale of his erectile dysfunction (which is yet another important topic for men to openly discuss, well done Alan).
Despite the dark parts, I left Think Ahead feeling warm, fuzzy and full of admiration for a man of his celebrity status putting himself out there so candidly. Alan is sacrificing his privacy in the name of helping other men. That makes me feel hopeful.
The only thing missing from the hour was a trigger warning on the show’s description. While Alan is ready to talk about his experience, some people in the audience who have gone through similar traumas might not be in a fit state to hear it.
Nevertheless, respect for Alan only glows brighter on realising how uncomfortable this must be to talk about every night – if not because of the trauma, because of his inherent need to make people happy.
Alan Davies: Think Ahead is touring this Autumn around the UK. Tickets here.
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