The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS)

@theacms.bsky.social

595 Followers 260 Following

Over-stuffing line-ups with unparalleled excellence since 2011! https://linktr.ee/theACMS Edfringe (August): https://tinyurl.com/acmsed26 London (Sept 7th): https://wegottickets.com/f/24085 N.B. DMs inaccessible.

ACMS poster, an A3 picture grid of comics' faces running from Ada Campe to Zoe Wohlfeld
A Young Man Dressed as a Gorilla Dressed as an Old Man Sits Rocking in a Rocking Chair for Fifty-Six Minutes and Then Leaves... 17
#ACMS | Monkey Barrel, One | 23.55-02:55 Aug 9-12, 16-19, 23-26, 30 (Sundays-Wednesdays) buy £8.50 advance tickets from edfringe.com, or PWYW on exit noblefailure.org | theacms | monkeybarrelcomedy.com
Thom sprawls, rakishly, over a huge old safe
ACMS | Edinburgh | Monkey Barrel, One Sundays-Wednesdays August 9-12, 16-19, 23-26, 30 | 23:55-02:45ish £8.50 advance or PWYW (Pay What You Want) on exit, from edfringe.com The ACMS Comedy Quiz (Quite Hard) | Edinburgh | Monkey Barrel @ O’Neills (The Tron) Wednesday 26 August | 17:50-18:50 | £2 per person, winning team takes the pot ACMS | London | The Phoenix - Cavendish Square Mondays September 7, October 5, November 2 and December 7 | 19:30-22:40ish £10 advance or £12 on the door, from wegottickets.com
grid of faces, from Abigoliah Schamaun to Zach Zimmerman and Robin Ince from Cosmic Shambles
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 13th July 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck (MC) & umpteen excellent guests: Barney Curtis, Charlie Vero-Martin, Joz Norris, Lulu Popplewell, Nadaav Soudry, Nate Kitch, Rachel Porter, Sam Eley as Basil Crumbwick, Tom Ballard and Tom Whiston £10 from wegottickets.com £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 13th July 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck (MC) & umpteen excellent guests: Barney Curtis, Charlie Vero-Martin, Josh Glanc, Joz Norris, Lulu Popplewell, Nadaav Soudry, Nate Kitch, Rachel Porter, Sam Eley as Basil Crumbwick, Tom Ballard and Tom Whiston £10 from wegottickets.com £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 13th July 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck (MC) & umpteen excellent guests: Barney Curtis, Ben Pope, Charlie Vero-Martin, Josh Glanc, Joz Norris, Lulu Popplewell, Nadaav Soudry, Nate Kitch, Rachel Porter, Sam Eley as Basil Crumbwick and Tom Ballard £10 from wegottickets.com £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) *fresh! Sisyphean! come by!* Monkey Barrel, One 23:55-02:45ish Sundays-Wednesdays August 9-12, 16-19, 23-26, 30 £8.50/PWYW on exit noblefailure.org tinyurl.com/acmsed26 monkeybarrelcomedy.com #ACMS | @theACMS @MonkeyBarrelComedy
Booklet back cover, a grid of faces starting with Adam, Celya, Mark, and Sikisa
Amy Matthews: Definitions of Toast Stand-up, LGBTQ+ Amy can’t feel anger, so she’s learning; this is a show about being Best Supporting Actor in one’s own life, queer joy and how a potion from 2002 cursed the world. 'Searing wit' (Rolling Stone). Monkey Barrel Comedy at O'Neill's (The Tron) V 51 G D5 Aug 5-6 15:00(1h) £11.50 Aug 7-11,13-16,20-23,27-30 15:00(1h) £15.50 Aug 17-18,24-25 15:00(1h) £13.50 Buy a ticket in advance to guarantee entry or Pay What You Want at the venue The Most Toast RGB Monster Thriller Somebody has eaten the most toast. We will find them. Just The Tonic at The Caves (Just The Big Room) V 88 G D5 2 Aug 8 15:00(1h) £11.50
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 13th July 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck (MC) & umpteen excellent guests: Barney Curtis, Ben Pope, Charlie Vero-Martin, Josh Glanc, Joz Norris, Lulu Popplewell, Nadaav Soudry, Nate Kitch, Rachel Porter, Rob Duncan, Sam Eley as Basil Crumbwick and Tom Ballard £10/£8 (or a risky £5 ticket) from wegottickets.com £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
In a mere fortnight we are back at @thephoenix_w1 with 3+ hours of comedic excellence, and in amongst the myriad performer-based reasons for your attendance - lordy it's a good line-up - there's also the fact that our July gig annually functions as a kinda Kickstarter type dealio to help with our Edinburgh costs. For just £10, you get a night of comedy and we get money we can use to: a) pay our acts & tech & producer, AND b) spend on our #edfringe print, like these glorious flyer booklets from previous years Now. Most people advertise their Fringe show with a flyer. Simple. Direct. CHEAP. We promote our Fringe show with a 32 page colour booklet that also recommends 300+ other Fringe shows, in time-order, because we want you to enjoy our gigs AND those of our faves too. No-one is charged for inclusion, cos ewww. We wanna help, not hinder. And it's easy to be kind. It's fairly pricey too. So. BUY A TICKET (OR TWELVE???) FOR JULY 13TH AND HELP US IN OUR GLORIOUS ENDEAVOURS. Thankyou kindly.
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 13th July 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck (MC) & umpteen excellent guests: Barney Curtis, Ben Pope, Charlie Vero-Martin, Josh Glanc, Joz Norris, Lulu Popplewell, Nadaav Soudry, Nate Kitch, Rachel Porter, Rob Duncan, Sam Eley as Basil Crumbwick and Tom Ballard £10/£8 (or a risky £5 ticket) from wegottickets.com £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
DAFT PUNK style album cover, with a dour man poking his face through what appears to be a child's toilet seat
Sat 27th June 1300 Mitch Benn 1320 Tasmin Sarkany 1340 Alastair Clark 1420 Andrew Boyd 1440 Stacey Edwards & Sam Adamson 1500 Peter Buckley Hill 1540 Ava Beaux 1600 Dee Allum 1620 Scott Manley Hadley & Josh InVain 1700 Ruby Carr 1720 Michael Brunström 1740 You're Not My Mum 1820 James Ross 1840 Burt Williamson 1900 Eve Mumford 1940 Becky Goodman 2000 Arron Jones 2020 Cameron Sinclair Harris 2100 John Luke Roberts 2120 Wonky Toe Collective 2140 Jake Baker 2220 Stephen Catling Sun 28th June 1300 Phil Nichol: The Naked Racist 1320 TBC 1340 Eddy Hare 1420 Mark Thomas 1440 Caitriona Dowden 1500 Kate Cheka 1540 Zoe Brownstone 1600 Tim Biglowe 1620 Eszter Racz & Rory McClean 1700 Eric Rushton 1720 Alexander Bennett 1740 Phil Nichol: Aren't We Lucky 1820 Bitches in Stitches: New Grrrl Order 1840 Lina Hall and Rhys Thonne 1900 Emily Bampton 1940 Robin Ince 2000 Mary O'Connell 2020 Marcus Megastar
Broadguess Dee Ryan Character comedy, Immersive Broadguess, A Shakespearean Every Brilliant Thing. An interactive comic Shakespeare solo show. When Elizabethan Detective, Broadguess, working the Elsinore Castle beat (ghosts, again) gets a hot tip about Ophelia drowning they fall down a Shakespearean rabbit hole. Laughing Horse @ The Counting House (The Loft)
Ass Ass In Fortune Bistro | CCW China Season K Contemporary, International Experimental theatre work adapted from the records of the grand historian, Sima Qian. Writing in prison, he forges a bond with the downtrodden loyal assassin Yu Rang. A raw, visceral reflection on faith, fate and legacy. C ARTS | C venues | C aurora (main house)
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 13th July 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck (MC) & umpteen excellent guests: Ben Pope, Charlie Vero-Martin, Josh Glanc, Joz Norris, Lulu Popplewell, Nadaav Soudry, Nate Kitch, Rachel Porter, Rob Duncan, Sam Eley as Basil Crumbwick and Tom Ballard £10/£8 (or a risky £5 ticket) from wegottickets.com £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
Rob Kemp Beatlesjuice logo, in the Beatles font, over b/w background
Abby Wambaugh: Another World Is Possible (A WIP) Work in Progress, Stand-up Abby Wambaugh Is Partying Again With Improvised Performance And Written Ideas, Promising A Wonderfilled Imaginative Practice. Another World is Possible. Articulate Woah If Pertinent. (A Work In Progress.) Monkey Barrel Comedy (Monkey Barrel
Goodbye Horses: An Unauthorised Solo Retelling of The Silence of the Lambs Michael Kinnan TM Dark comedy, Thriller Sink your teeth into the newest cinematic follow-up to Never Let Go (2022). Over 20 characters brought to life in Jonathan Demme's queer, psychological rollercoaster! Chianti, anyone? Underbelly, Cowgate (Big Belly)
Adults Only Magic Show Showmen Productions TN Magic, Variety Back and naughtier than ever for their fifth filthy year at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Adults Only Magic Show is an unapologetically wild ride of raunchy comedy, jaw-dropping illusions and a generous helping of skin. Assembly George Square Studios (Studio Three)
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 13th July 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck (MC) & umpteen excellent guests: Ben Pope, Charlie Vero-Martin, Josh Glanc, Joz Norris, Lulu Popplewell, Nadaav Soudry, Nate Kitch, Rachel Porter, Rob Duncan, and Sam Eley as Basil Crumbwick £10/£8 (or a risky £5 ticket) from wegottickets.com £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 8th June 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck & Jacob Henegan (MCs), with umpteen excellent guests: Alexander Bennett, Christian Brighty, Emma Rose Davies, Frank Foucault, Kathy Maniura, Lachlan Werner, Laurie Luxe, Noah Matthews, and Paul Savage £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 8th June 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck & Jacob Henegan (MCs), with umpteen excellent guests: Alexander Bennett, Christian Brighty, Cordelia Graham, Emma Rose Davies, Frank Foucault, Kathy Maniura, Lachlan Werner, Noah Matthews, and Paul Savage £10/£11.50 online, from wegottickets.com + eventbrte £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
grid of Shedinburgh images, from Amy Matthews & Ben Pope down to 'Terry Wogan'
grid of Shedinburgh images, from Amy Matthews & Ben Pope down to 'Terry Wogan'
Character Comedy, Improv Late Night with Terry Wogan By Benjamin Alborough and Liebenspiel Thursday 27 August: 11.00pm Terry’s back from the dead and he’s brought a chat show with him. Featuring interviews with “real” celebrities and accompanied by a live band. Previous guests include: George Lucas, Ray Parker Jr, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Liza Minelli, DB Cooper, Tim Henman, Scarlett Johansson and several different Michael Caines. Terry Wogan is a recipient of a KBE / dead. ‘A clever late-night romp’ ★★★★ (Telegraph). ★★★★ (Mervyn Stutter’s Pick of the Fringe). This will be a special stripped-back version of the hit Fringe show, reimagined for Shedinburgh. Comedy 27 August 2026 60 minutes 23:00 Shedinburgh @ Assembly Checkpoint Age 15+ (Guideline) warning
a tabby cat as the Mona Lisa, top half of the face hidden by the show title
four sour looking white people
Twelve Angry Men artwork, of serious table discussions
the poster for 'Say Anything'; he can make a woman laugh! he can old up a boombox! yeeeeah!
Cerys Bradley: On Road Signs logo
Mothman: A Romance Musical, with Alex Franklin (as seen on Channel 4 and HBO Max) and Nikola McMurtrie (Sketch Off 2025 Third Place, Funny Women Shorts winner), with Alex Prescot (Musical Comedy Award finalist) and Hudson Hughes (Double Sketch Off finalist).
Jacob (besuited) looking up, against a red background
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 8th June 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck & Jacob Henegan (MCs), with umpteen excellent guests: Alexander Bennett, Christian Brighty, Cordelia Graham, Emma Rose Davies, Frank Foucault, Joz Norris, Kathy Maniura, Lachlan Werner, Noah Matthews, Paul Savage, and Tom Whiston £10/£11.50 online, from wegottickets.com + eventbrte £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
Geraldine, a human cockatiel
a hand drawn felt-tipped picture of a jester hugging a king in front of a barred window
When a lonely man’s poo becomes sentient and begs not to be flushed, Patrick is dragged into an absurd odyssey through Brighton. As the pair flee Thames Water, encounter drag bars, fortune tellers and a sinister scientist, Patrick is forced to confront his own repression, loneliness and emotional constipation. Ridiculous, heartfelt and gloriously unhinged, Don’t Flush Me Yet is a surreal new comedy about friendship, freedom and what happens when a lifetime of blockage finally gives way.
a circular wine stain like a heptapod ink mark advertises BOOK CLUB
A new kind of IUD insertion leads to rats being shoved down a cervix. Punch and Judy perform a gender-swapped adaptation of Moby Dick. A tradwife hawks her questionable raw milk wares and ultimately breastfeeds a member of the audience with one of her dozens of pendulous burlap boobs. B*tch Eat Dog is a puppet-filled sketch show that uses classical texts, feminist theory and singing willies to interrogate the gendered ethics of pursuit. The evening is hosted by a well-intentioned white man who flails wildly as his misguided attempts at ally-ship lead to a painful realisation.
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 8th June 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck (MC), with umpteen excellent guests: Alexander Bennett, Christian Brighty, Cordelia Graham, Emma Rose Davies, Frank Foucault, Joz Norris, Kathy Maniura, Lachlan Werner, Noah Matthews, Paul Savage, and Tom Whiston £8/£10/£11.50 online, from wegottickets.com + eventbrte £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
The Wolf of Poyais 20:30 * 1 hour * United Kingdom - England Performer / Performance company Blue Bar Are you tired of struggling with everyone else? Have you always secretly known you were meant to be rich? Are you ready to succeed? For four weeks only, Sir Gregor MacGregor is here to teach you how to unleash the greatness within and learn how he sold a country that didn’t exist! A dark comedy telling the true story of a swashbuckling confidence trickster and the greatest scam you’ve never heard of, the Poyais Scheme. ***** (NorthWestEnd.com). ***** (LondonTheatre1.com).
Glenn Wool In a thoughtful (yet close to the bone) stand-up tale, Fringe legend Glenn Wool as he recounts the bumps, scrapes, highs and lows of receiving the shock news of a surprise divorce two weeks before his 50th. 'The best comedian in the UK' (Doug Stanhope (ten years ago)). 'One of the most important voices in comedy' (Jim Jefferies (last year, actually)). 'The first time I saw Glenn Wool reminded me of the first time I saw Sam Kinison' (Norm Macdonald (cant remember exactly when but it was more then 5 years ago, obviously)).
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) *fresh! Sisyphean! come by!* Monkey Barrel, One 23:55-02:45ish Sundays-Wednesdays August 9-12, 16-19, 23-26, 30 £8.50/PWYW on exit noblefailure.org tinyurl.com/acmsed26 monkeybarrelcomedy.com #ACMS | @theACMS @MonkeyBarrelComedy
Tony is leaving the cone-fines of Coney Island for the first time – and he needs your support! Commiserate, cheer and cry with laughter as this courageous cone finds his feet in one of the world’s scariest cities. Enjoy low-brow humour on an epic scale as Fred Newnes embarks on an utterly unique adventure, utilising clown, improv and sketch to bring this little cone that could to life. Directed by Carlos Sandin.
Join comedian Sadia Azmat for an hour of unapologetic rape jokes (BBC Sounds presenter, author of Sex Bomb, ITV's Good Morning Britain). Rape is considered a dirty word, so Sadia's come up with a new word: Rapism. An original show that takes a look at the current system where sexual violence rates are 83%, with only 1 in 6 victims of sexual assault coming forward. With Sadia taking you on her personal rollercoaster of a journey, this is an unmissable hour of comedy. 'Honest, much needed' (Frank Skinner).
Nun #1, young
The ACMS Comedy Quiz (Quite Hard) Wednesday 26 August | MB @ O’Neills (The Tron) 17:50-18:50 | £2 pp, winning team takes the pot theacms | noblefailure.org | #ACMS
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 8th June 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck (MC), with umpteen excellent guests: Alexander Bennett, Christian Brighty, Cordelia Graham, Emma Rose Davies, Frank Foucault, Glenn Wool, Joz Norris, Kathy Maniura, Lachlan Werner, Noah Matthews, Paul Savage, and Tom Whiston £8/£10/£11.50 online, from wegottickets.com £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 11th May 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck & Leslie Ewing-Burgesse (MCs) + umpteen excellent guests: Bec Hill, Charlie Vero-Martin, Dru Cripps, Gary Le Strange, Helen Duff, Henry Whaley, Ian Lane, John-Luke Roberts, Jordan Lewis, Stephen Catling, Tom Bell, and W*nkers £5/£10 from wegottickets.com £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 11th May 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck & Leslie Ewing-Burgesse (MCs) + umpteen excellent guests: Bec Hill, Charlie Vero-Martin, Dru Cripps, Gary Le Strange, Helen Duff, Henry Whaley, Ian Lane, John-Luke Roberts, Jordan Lewis, Stephen Catling, Tom Bell, and W*nkers £5/£10 from wegottickets.com £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 11th May 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck & Leslie Ewing-Burgesse (MCs) + umpteen excellent guests: Bec Hill, Dru Cripps, Gary Le Strange, Helen Duff, Henry Whaley, Ian Lane, John-Luke Roberts, Jordan Lewis, Stephen Catling, Tom Bell, W*nkers, and Wil Pease £5/£10 from wegottickets.com £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
grid of faces, from Abigoliah Schauman to Robin Ince in a party hat
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 11th May 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck & Leslie Ewing-Burgesse (MCs) + umpteen excellent guests: Bec Hill, Dru Cripps, Gary Le Strange, Helen Duff, Henry Whaley, Ian Lane, John-Luke Roberts, Jordan Lewis, Stephen Catling, Tom Bell, W*nkers, and Wil Pease £5/£8/£10 from wegottickets.com £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) The Phoenix, Cavendish Sq, by Oxford Circus Monday 11th May 2026, 7:30pm-10:40ish Thom Tuck (MC) + umpteen excellent guests: Bec Hill, Dru Cripps, Gary Le Strange, Helen Duff, Henry Whaley, Ian Lane, John-Luke Roberts, Jordan Lewis, Stephen Catling, Tom Bell, W*nkers, and Wil Pease £5/£8/£10 from wegottickets.com £12 at the gig, doors open 7pm noblefailure.org
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) *fresh! Sisyphean! come by!* Monkey Barrel, One 23:55-02:45ish Sundays-Wednesdays August 9-12, 16-19, 23-26, 30 £8.50/PWYW on exit noblefailure.org tinyurl.com/acmsed26 monkeybarrelcomedy.com #ACMS | @theACMS @MonkeyBarrelComedy