Having shot to fame through her impressions of Edinburgh ghost tour guides on social media, Eleanor Morton is back on the Fringe stage in a haunting hour.

Morton has one of the cleverest storytelling structures seen in stand-up this Fringe. Her audience is ‘welcomed’ with jabs and thrills from a spooky voice. A toy house stands in a corner, arousing interest. When Morton enters – of course dressed in a white gown with messy hair, holding a candelabrum – we know we’re in for a creepy treat. Morton isn’t entirely off-script, but her referencing to a sheet does not cause any speed bumps in her delivery.

Segmenting the show with voice recordings of people relaying supernatural experiences, using them as a theme for her show and gradually opening each door of the well-produced haunted house depicting scenes from the stories is genius. She builds tension, only to deflate it with humour at precise moments. The result is our oscillating emotions between horror and hilarity. A formidable task, especially for a noontime show.

The comedic act is as much about the famed ghosts of one of the most haunted cities of the world, as it is about the actual vile presence at the Fringe every year – predatory performers and producers assaulting women. As critical of the latter as Morton is, she expresses her love for the Fringe and what it is supposed to stand for. Using ghosts and their witnessing as an allegory for the actual violent hauntings in the city and the silencing of women who try speaking up is effective and leaves a lasting impression.

A show with heart, an empathetic message and brilliant jokes, Morton proves she is more than a social media comedian and can write and execute a full set.

‘Haunted House‘ is at Monkey Barrel 2 until Sun 25 Aug 2024 at 12.05