Tales From The Darkive at Nottingham Comedy Festival

Missimp Improv Comedy bring Tales From The Darkive to The Malt Cross on Friday 6 November, as part of the Nottingham Comedy Festival. It's an improv show, so nothing is scripted, and the whole thing is built around the audience. You're given access to the Institute's Dark Archive, and from there a disturbing documentary unfolds through scenes, interviews and archival evidence. The organisers warn that when confronted with irrefutable horrors the human psyche knows but one reaction: uncontrollable laughter.

It's a bit of a high-concept setup for an improv night. Rather than just taking suggestions from the crowd, the show frames the evening as a dive into a fictional archive, with the scenes and interviews growing out of whatever is uncovered. Because it's improv, the story is made up on the spot, so it'll be different every time it's performed.

The show is part of the Nottingham Comedy Festival, which is now in its 18th year and runs from 30 October to 8 November 2026. Tales From The Darkive falls toward the end of that run, so it's one of the later nights of the festival.

The venue is The Malt Cross, a Grade-2 listed Victorian Music Hall in the city centre, just off Old Market Square. It's a proper old room, and the show is recommended for ages 18+. Doors open at 8:40pm, and the show starts at 9pm. Tickets are £7 in advance and £8 on the door.