Alan Davies has returned to standup comedy after a decade away with a new show, Think Ahead, in which he addresses the childhood sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of his father. The comedian, 59, revealed the abuse in his 2020 book and now discusses it on stage for the first time, visibly experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder as he does so.
Davies handles the difficult subject with honesty and a light touch, acknowledging the awkwardness of finding humour in such material. He shares details such as his father making colour copies of abuse images on the household printer, and a diary that focused solely on golf. The abuse is not the main focus of the show, which also includes routines about his youngest son, rants about Ulez, and blue humour.
The show, performed at the Orchard at Gilded Balloon in Edinburgh, has been praised for its striking blend of dark and light material. Critics note that the childhood abuse content underpins the broader sex comedy, making the laughs feel harder won. The result is a cross-section of Davies's life that reveals parts his previous shows could not reach.
