The ACMS Awards: Edinburgh Fringe 2023, Monkey Barrel, Edinburgh, 2023
The ACMS Awards: Edinburgh Fringe 2024, Monkey Barrel, Edinburgh, 2024 

The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) is a cult comedy experience created in 2011 by John Luke Roberts and Thom Tuck at The Phoenix pub in London every month. Comedians are invited to perform sets that might not work at more mainstream comedy nights. For more information, click the link: ACMS | The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (noblefailure.org).

Also, a yearly event, The ACMS awards was the final show I saw at the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2023 and August 2024.  Starting at 23.55 on the last day of the Fringe, this was a wonderful riot hosted by Tuck and included made up daft award categories.  The comedy role call for the show was insane: Thom Tuck (MC), Sian Docksey (MC), Joz Norris, Andrew O’Neill, Jennie Makaela, Nate Kitsch, Alexander Bennett, Stephen Catlin, Leslie Ewing Burgesse, Simon Munnery, Rosie Nicholls, Covenant’s Close, Alexander Richmond, Lou Wall, Tom Short, Robert Wells, Andrew & Linda, Sophie Zucker, Nina Conti, Ada Campe, Melissa McGlensey, Friz Frizzle (a highlight of the night was his rendition of ‘I Wanna Be A Door’ in piano tune with The Stone Roses’ ‘I Wanna Be Adored’! , Colt Cabanna, Warrington Close Steps, Phil Jarvis, Advocates Close, Tom Little, Cheeky Kita, Phil O’Shea, Mark Dean Quinn, Eric (Tales From The Sea), Jacob Henegan, Tim Reeves, Alwyn Solansky, Sam See, Playfair Steps, Peter Lupton, Lulu Popplewell, and Isabelle.

Tuck has been a fringe staple since before I have been going to the Edinburgh Festival in 2005.  This three-hour comic extravaganza (finishing at 3am) was a perfect end to a perfect festival.