Stand Up Horror - Hallowe'en Special

Stand Up Horror is taking over The Banshee Labyrinth on Saturday 31 October, a Hallowe'en special that puts the audience in charge of the story. It's an improvised comedy horror show, which means there's no script to fall back on: the plot is built on the spot, and the people in the room are the ones steering it. You make the suggestions and help guide the narrative as the show works its way through improvised macabre tales, and you're the one deciding whether the characters live... or die.

That's the core of it — you're not just watching a story unfold; you're actively shaping it. Because it's all made up as it goes, no two shows ever end up in the same place, and the direction depends entirely on what the crowd throws at the stage. It's a bit of a gamble, which is exactly why it works for a Hallowe'en night.

The whole thing is run by actor, writer and tour guide Alex Staniforth, who keeps the chaos on track. The setting is as much a part of the evening as the show itself: The Banshee Labyrinth is in Edinburgh's Old Town, billed as Scotland's most haunted pub. It's a venue that knows its way around the supernatural, playing host to nights like Ash Pryce's spook show and the LGBTQIA+-led Cabaret Occult, so it's a fitting spot for a night that leans into the macabre.

It's a late one, running from 9:45pm to 10:30pm on Saturday 31 October at The Banshee Labyrinth, 29-35 Niddry Street, Edinburgh Old Town, EH1 1LG. Tickets are £12.