FAQS

Sauna Theatre is the UK’s first purpose-built sauna arts centre, and the largest sauna in the land. It seats 80 people and features state of the art lighting and surround sound. It’s epic and beautiful… like a theatre. Sometimes Sauna Theatre will just be a sauna where you can relax, revitalise, socialise. Sometimes it will showcase art and culture made specifically for the sauna space ranging from the sauna native artform Aufguss to theatre, literature, music and dance. Art to entertain you while the heat keeps you healthy and happy.

Yes really! Wait until you try it. We think you might just love it as much as we do. Sauna is a magical space in which to experience art and culture. Something about the delicious heat makes listening to music, hearing stories and watching dance even more heightened and profound. No phones, no distractions. Just you, your fellow audience members and extraordinary artists in beautiful communion.

Don’t worry, we’re not just putting traditional theatre in an even hotter room. No-one wants to sweat through three hours of Hamlet (least of all the actors - it’s far too toasty for a codpiece!). Our shows are made specifically for sauna so they are designed to utilise heat, steam and aroma as part of their storytelling. And they are short, so you can cool down regularly between acts. Our programme prominently features the amazing sauna native art form Aufguss.

Good question! Aufguss is a multisensory sauna ritual that involves storytelling through heat, steam, aromas, towel waving choreography, narrative and music. Aufguss can be an intimate ritual in a tiny sauna or a high production value show in a huge event sauna. Aufguss is popular around the world but relatively new in the UK. Sauna Theatre will be a platform to showcase the world’s greatest Aufguss artists, develop the skills of emerging UK Aufguss artists and introduce Aufguss to a whole new audience. We think you’ll go wild for it…

Oh yes. Sauna Theatre is a proper sauna. It will feature some top-grade sauna stoves tended by professional sauna masters to deliver delicious löyly (steam) and soothing heat.

Our sauna masters are highly skilled at manipulating heat in the sauna as part of their artistic toolkit. In a sauna, heat is used as a storytelling tool alongside words, music, dance, lighting and sound. So in our ‘shows’ the temperature will vary. But it will be hot! Up to 90°C… or more if we’re feeling generous.

It depends. In some sessions you are free to come and go as you please. In others the compere or artists will guide you through and breaks (intervals) will be built into the storytelling. Most of our shows are created in sections (acts) of around 10 minutes with intervals between each. So you would be in the heat for 10 minutes, then cool down, then repeat.

You can leave the sauna at any time. This will be explicitly communicated to you in every session and Sauna Theatre is designed to make it easy for you to leave whenever you like. No need to worry about disturbing the show or offending the artist, you should always listen to your body and if you feel too hot you can simply slip outside into the cool.

Please, we’re British! We keep our swimwear on at all times. So have no fear… no nakedness in Sauna Theatre. Just your best swimwear, a towel to sit on and a fetching sauna hat to accessorise.

You wear your finest swimwear. Whatever you’d wear to the pool or the beach. If you want to cover up more you are welcome to wear a t-shirt over the top of your swimwear, or a sarong, or whatever you like. But be aware it will get very sweaty, so we recommend swimwear only if you can. (There are companies that make ‘modest’ swimwear, head coverings, and even full sauna clothing outfits if you wish to remain more fully clothed e.g. https://www.saunamekko.com)

Your swimwear, two towels – one to sit on, one to dry yourself – and a water bottle. We strongly encourage you to bring flip-flops or other slip on footwear (we will have some on hand if you forget yours). Optional extras if you like… a sauna hat, a robe to wear between sauna sessions.

Great question! A sauna hat keeps your head cool. Sauna hats are usually made of wool, felt or linen. Whilst it may seem counter-intuitive to put a woolly hat on in a sauna, it actually insulates your head and keeps you from overheating so you stay comfortable in the heat for longer. Sauna hats also protect your hair. And they look really cool. All the fashionistas rock a sauna hat. We’ll have a range of awesome sauna hats for sale at Sauna Theatre so you can snap one up when you arrive.

No worries. We will have swimwear, sauna hats and water bottles to purchase on site, and towels to hire so you can still sauna even if you arrive empty handed.

We have all gender changing rooms on site which feature communal changing spaces and private cubicle changing spaces, secure lockers, and everything you need to look fabulous post sauna... mirrors, hairdryers etc. So you can head to your next show feeling and looking fantastic.

Yes we do so you can rest assured your stuff is safe while you sauna.

No problem, you can leave anything too big to fit in a locker at Sauna Theatre Welcome Desk which you’ll see at the entrance to the site in the rear courtyard at Summerhall and which is permanently manned. We’ll look after your stuff for you so you can concentrate on having a lovely time in Sauna Theatre.

Just you and a towel to sit on. And a sauna hat if you’re cool. Everything else stays outside… your water bottle, your flip-flops etc should all be left outside the sauna.

Yes you can, although please be aware that certain types of metal including silver and stainless steel are heat conductive and so will heat up and may prove uncomfortable or even cause burns. If you can remove jewellery and piercings, we recommend doing so.

Yes. Water on tap to keep you hydrated, plus a little kiosk selling delicious, healthy juices, electrolytes, snacks and 0% beers.

If there are spaces available in a session it will be possible to buy a ticket from our front desk and head right on in. But we advise booking in advance to be sure of your seat on the sauna bench.

Your session time includes time for changing. So if your session starts at 9am, arrive for 9am or just before. You will need to leave the site by the end of your advertised session time so make sure you leave enough time to change back into your clothes at the end!

No worries, it happens! Unlike many other Edinburgh Fringe venues we allow latecomers so whenever you arrive you can get changed and our team will show you into the sauna at the next appropriate interval.

Yes, although we are an 18+ venue for insurance reasons. As long as you are over 18, everyone is welcome!

Please drop us a line on Boxoffice@summerhallarts.co.uk and we’ll be very happy to help.

Brill, drop us a line on hello@saunasessionsartsclub.com and we’ll be very happy to help.

If you are pregnant or have any pre-existing heart or medical condition, please take advice from your GP before attending the sauna.