Alan Davies

Alan Davies (below) may be best known as "TV"s Jonathan Creek", but he remains a class live act, able to charm audiences with his sweetly daft routines. Perhaps, he speculates, cows are merely faking BSE-induced madness in order to avoid being turned into burgers. As the scheming beasts cook up their scam, "the piece de resistance is to remain standing despite impending rain. The other cows go, `that is a masterstroke. That is the maddest thing imaginable'." His national tour starts this week.

Derngate Theatre, Northampton (01604 624811) Tue, Warwick Arts, Coventry (01203 524524) Wed; Civic Hall, Wolverhampton (01902 552121) Thur, Birmingham Symphony (0121-212 3333) Fri

James Rampton