The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society

The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) is a British comedy night, where comedians are invited to perform sets that might not work at more mainstream comedy nights. It was founded by John-Luke Roberts and Thom Tuck at the New Red Lion Theatre[1] in Islington, London. For a while it was mainly held at the Soho Theatre, but now the regular London venue is The Phoenix, Cavendish Square.[2] Each year there are Alternative Comedy Memorial Society shows at the Edinburgh Fringe. ACMS has been running since March 2011, usually on Monday evenings. The group's logo is a boulder emblazoned with 'JOKE?' being pushed up a hill, representing the slogan 'Fresh Sysiphean Comedy'.[3][4]

The show

The show is curated and hosted by Thom Tuck, and produced by Isabelle Adam. There are a group of regular comedians, referred to as "The Board", including William Andrews, Steve Pretty, Tom Bell, Ben Target, John-Luke Roberts, William Andrews, Sophie Duker, Joz Norris, Eleanor Morton, Sian Docksey, and Jonny & the Baptists.[5]

The ACMS has developed a number of in-jokes, such as a list of permitted heckles and a repeated call and response with the audience.

In December 2012, the "ACMS panto" debuted. This was loosely structured around a performance of Aladdin, and played with many pantomime conventions.

The show has been filmed as a series of Comedy Blaps for Channel 4, which were released in 2013. The series is produced by Adrian Sturges and directed by Chris Shepherd.[6][7]

Participants

Impact

In The Guardian in 2014, Paul Merton described ACMS as somewhere audiences go to enjoy the art of comedy.[8] In The Guardian in 2016, Simon Munnery described ACMS as keeping alternative comedy alive, even as they claim to memorialise it.[9] In 2018 The British Comedy Guide referred to ACMS as a "mighty institution".[10]

On the other hand, Stewart Lee has suggested that ACMS doesn't represent the working classes in the way that 1980s alternative comedy did, and in 2019 a speaker at the University of Kent's 'Alternative Comedy Now' conference questioned whether ACMS are the inheritors of the alternative comedy ethos, suggesting that the shows are too highbrow and exclusive.[11][12]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Result
2026[13] Chortle Awards Best Comedy Format (London) Won

See also

References

  1. ↑ New Red Lion
  2. ↑ The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society - Shows
  3. ↑ The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society - Permitted Heckles
  4. ↑ The List - Alternative Comedy Memorial Society
  5. ↑ https://noblefailure.org/members-of-the-board
  6. ↑ Chortle - C4 Releases ACMS Blaps
  7. ↑ The Guardian - Alternative Comedy Memorial Society
  8. ↑ The Guardian - Hecklers put Paul Merton off Standup
  9. ↑ The Guardian - Simon Munnery - Is Alternative Comedy Over? Well Yes and No
  10. ↑ British Comedy Guide - First Gig, Worst Gig - John-Luke Roberts
  11. ↑ Stewart Lee - Those Comedians That You Have Now
  12. ↑ British Comedy Guide - Alternative Comedy Now Conference
  13. ↑ "Chortle Awards 2026 results". British Comedy Guide. 17 March 2026. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
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