Theatre review: Momentos de la Vida at Squire Performing Arts Centre

I’ll be honest, I’d never been to an improv show before last night. My knowledge of the artform was limited to vague references in sitcoms and the occasional Whose Line Is It Anyway? clip that pops up on TikTok at 2am. So when I wandered into Nottingham’s Robin Hood International Improv Festival to see Momentos de la Vida, I wasn’t quite sure what I was signing myself up for. A group of strangers making things up on the fly? How good could it really be? Turns out: very, very good.

Momentos de la Vida’s performance was built around a deceptively simple concept: black-and-white photography. Each photo projected on the screen was abstract, moody, and beautiful in its own right: like something you’d find in a gallery rather than a comedy night. But rather than spell out what the images meant, the performers spun them into scenes that zigzagged between the absurd and the heartfelt. Half the fun was watching the audience try to guess where things were going, only to be gleefully misdirected at the last second.

It wasn’t just comedy for comedy’s sake, either. The photos gave the cast a broad canvas to play with, and they absolutely made the most of it. One moment we were watching a bizarre physical comedy routine that looked like a mix of modern dance and slapstick, the next we were thrown into a scene from a heartfelt kitchen sink drama, seemingly plucked out of thin air. There were even scenes that dipped into surprisingly emotional territory- family estrangements, lost loves, bittersweet reunions- all conjured up and dissolved in the space of a few minutes. Even when things got serious, there was always a wink or a punchline around the corner to bring us back up.

What struck me most was just how talented the cast were across the board. Improv alone is a nerve-wracking skill, there’s nowhere to hide if the jokes don’t land, but these performers layered in music, physical theatre, and even moments of straight-up poignancy without missing a beat. It felt less like a single show and more like a whole festival crammed into one hour.

And let’s talk about the humour, because honestly, it was top notch. Every time I thought I’d clocked where a scene was heading, the troupe would twist it in a direction I hadn’t seen coming. They were masters of the call-back too - little jokes and references from earlier sketches kept popping back up, giving the whole performance a satisfying, self-contained rhythm. It was clear they were having as much fun as the audience, and that sense of playfulness was infectious. By the halfway mark, the room was buzzing, and by the end, you could practically feel the collective grin plastered across the crowd.

For someone walking in as an improv newbie, it was an eye-opener. I’d expected a bit of silliness and maybe some awkward silences; instead, I got a polished yet spontaneous performance that felt alive in a way scripted theatre sometimes doesn’t. There’s something thrilling about watching people invent whole worlds in front of your eyes, knowing they’ll vanish forever once the lights go down.

Momentos de la Vida made it all look effortless, and judging by the raucous applause they got at the end, I wasn’t the only one impressed. If this show was anything to go by, the Robin Hood International Improv Festival is absolutely worth dipping into before it wraps up on Sunday 7 September. Whether you’re a seasoned improv fan or, like me, a total beginner, there’s magic in watching a group of performers create something out of nothing.

So go on- take a chance, roll the dice, and see what unfolds. If it’s half as good as Momentos de la Vida, you’re in for a treat.

The Robin Hood Improv Festival takes place between Wednesday 3 - Sunday 7 September. Head to their website below for listings.

robinhoodimprov.co.uk