HE was gentle detective Jonathan Creek, a cartoonish clown on QI and, glimpsed in the murkier tabloids, a troubled TV star. But Alan Davies is also a standup.

This standup Alan, from resurgent 2012 show "Life Is Pain" and this new set "Little Victories", is warm and witty, but there's a dark undercurrent to the surprisingly personal show.

The mop of curly hair is intact, though it's now mostly grey; his look is reminiscent of James May from Top Gear.

Davies strolls around the stage, energetic and physical in that modern way, but also low key. He is an anecdotalist first and foremost, and possesses real skill at telling tales with a satisfying, self-deprecating punch line.

Pain - physical and emotional - are consistent themes. Davies's impression of his daughter's refrain of "You're hurting me!" gets more exaggerated each time.

His relationship with his father yields some good, if borderline-uncomfortable, stories. His tales of the exploits of his own children are equally candid and very funny, though much of that material will chime most with the parents in the audience.

His interactions with the crowd illustrate a sharp and spontaneous mind, and were among the show’s highlights. One story drew 'ooohs' and 'aaahs' from the audience. "I bet the pantos in this town are good", Davies remarked.

"Oh no they're not", came a shout from the upper tier.

Davies plays many roles, but standup Alan, the wry, world-weary storyteller and jovial family man, may be the closest yet to the real guy.