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 John-Luke Roberts and Thom Tuck. There are a group of regular comedians, referred to as "The Board", including William Andrews, Steve Pretty, , Bridget Christie, Alexis Dubus, , Josie Long, Sara Pascoe, Isy Suttie and Ben Target.[citation needed] 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 "AXMS panto" debuted. This was loosely structured around a performance of Aladdin, and played with many pantomime conventions.[citation needed]
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.[5][6]
Participants[]
- Tom Allen
- William Andrews
- Dan Antopolski
- Dougie Baldwin
- Tom Basden
- Aisling Bea
- Ali Brice
- Abigail Burdess
- Margaret Cabourn-Smith & Zoe Gardner
- Bridget Christie
- Matthew Crosby
- Alexis Dubus
- Alex Edelman
- Kevin Eldon
- Pippa Evans
- Deborah Frances-White
- Nick Helm
- Adam Hess
- Matthew Highton
- Bec Hill
- Harry Hill
- Wil Hodgson
- Amy Hoggart
- Colin Hoult
- Robin Ince
- Elis James
- Sanderson Jones
- Jonny & The Baptists
- Phill Jupitus
- Nadia Kamil
- John Kearns
- Tim Key
- Adam Larter
- Marek Larwood
- Tony Law
- Michael Legge
- Cariad Lloyd
- Josie Long
- Joe Lycett
- Eleanor Morton
- Simon Munnery
- Robert Newman
- Phil Nichol
- Joz Norris
- Andrew O'Neill
- Celia Pacquola
- Rachel Parris
- Benjamin Partridge
- Sara Pascoe
- Howard Read
- Adam Riches
- John Robertson
- Lou Sanders
- Terry Saunders
- Waen Shepherd
- Bob Slayer
- Nick Sun
- Isy Suttie
- Paul Sweeney
- Ben Target
- Holly Walsh
- Danielle Ward
- Martin White
- Joe Wilkinson
- Mike Wozniak
Impact[]
In The Guardian in 2014, Paul Merton described ACMS as somewhere audiences go to enjoy the art of comedy.[7] In The Guardian in 2016, Simon Munnery described ACMS as keeping alternative comedy alive, even as they claim to memorialise it.[8] In 2018 The British Comedy Guide referred to ACMS as a "mighty institution".[9]
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.[10][11]
References[]
- ^ New Red Lion
- ^ The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society - Shows
- ^ The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society - Permitted Heckles
- ^ The List - Alternative Comedy Memorial Society
- ^ Chortle - C4 Releases ACMS Blaps
- ^ The Guardian - Alternative Comedy Memorial Society
- ^ The Guardian - Hecklers put Paul Merton off Standup
- ^ The Guardian - Simon Munnery - Is Alternative Comedy Over? Well Yes and No
- ^ British Comedy Guide - First Gig, Worst Gig - John-Luke Roberts
- ^ Stewart Lee - Those Comedians That You Have Now
- ^ British Comedy Guide - Alternative Comedy Now Conference
External links[]
- British comedy