Comedian Alan Davies: ‘I talk about what my father did, and how I had him arrested’

Comedian Alan Davies is delving into deeply personal and traumatic experiences in his latest stand-up show, "Think Ahead." After a decade away from live performance, Davies feels his new show is complete, containing "all the ingredients." While it touches on the relatable challenges of turning 60 and dealing with teenage eye-rolls, the show ventures into darker territory, confronting "what my father did, and how I ended up having him arrested."

“

I feel like I’ve presented a show that, if it was a cake, it’s the whole cake, with all the ingredients. And I think it’s a similarly nice cake. Better than the last cake.

In 2020, Davies publicly disclosed that he was sexually abused by his father from the age of eight to 13. This revelation followed his memoir, "Just Ignore Him," which detailed the loss of his mother to leukemia and the subsequent manipulation and abuse by his father. His subsequent book, "White Male Stand-Up," re-examined how this hidden trauma shaped his life and career, contributing to an "angry boy" persona he wished to shed.

“

talk about what my father did, and how I ended up having him arrested

Davies emphasizes that "Think Ahead" still contains "a fair amount of frivolity" and that he prioritizes creating "comedic euphoria" and eliciting laughs early in the performance. However, the show marks a significant shift from his earlier reluctance to discuss his past publicly. He initially believed his story was solely for the pages of a book, offering a private space between author and reader.

“

But it is.

During the pandemic, Davies resisted interviewers' attempts to probe his past, stating the answers were in his book. Yet, as live comedy beckoned again, he began to consider sharing his story on stage. He found that his growing experience as a comedian and his broader understanding of life led him to believe audiences would be receptive. He now recognizes that many people in the audience likely carry their own difficult experiences, making his willingness to share his story a shared act of vulnerability and connection.

“

I really thought it was just for a book. There is that feeling with a book or an audiobook of it being between you and the reader. They can take their time with it and go where they want with it.