Edinburgh Fringe Festival Features a Unique Sauna Theatre

Edinburgh's Fringe Festival, known for its experimental performances, now boasts a truly unique venue: the Sauna Theatre. Housed within a large wooden structure capable of seating 80 patrons in swimwear, this innovative space offers an immersive artistic experience where temperatures can reach up to 90 degrees Celsius.

The concept, developed by theatre director James Grieve and designer Lucy Osborne, draws inspiration from global traditions of art and culture within saunas. "There is a long tradition of storytelling and folk music in saunas around the world," Grieve explained. At the heart of the Sauna Theatre's programming is 'aufguss,' an art form where a sauna master uses scented steam and choreographed towel movements to engage the audience, often accompanied by music, costumes, and narration.

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There is a long tradition of storytelling and folk music in saunas around the world.

This ritual, popular in continental Europe but less known in Britain, transforms the sauna into a performance space. The theatre's diverse program includes morning raves, storytelling sessions, and even adaptations of literary works. A notable performance featured an 'aufguss' ritual based on Virginia Woolf's "The Waves," aiming to connect the audience with the text through sensory experience. Another highlight was a performance by an 'aufguss' master in a NASA suit dancing to Harry Styles, creating a spectacle described as reminiscent of Eurovision.

To ensure audience comfort and safety, performances incorporate breaks every ten minutes, allowing patrons to cool down with cold showers or ice baths. The Sauna Theatre aims to merge physical sensation with artistic appreciation, offering a distinctive and memorable experience at one of the world's largest performing arts festivals.

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Virginia Woolf talks a lot about heat, light, and water. The aufguss masters perform rituals with her text and help people feel the language on their skin, through smell, not just hear it.