My God, this is refreshing.
And at the Edinburgh Fringe, by the middle of the day I have walked several miles, watched several shows and hauled a bag full of chargers, notebooks and assorted electronic paraphernalia, refreshing is no small achievement.
Sauna Theatre is Summerhall’s latest experiment in what theatre might actually be. There is a little faff involved. Swimming trunks, flip flops and a couple of towels aren’t normally essential reviewing equipment. But changing cubicles and lockers are provided, valuables disappear safely inside, water is handed out and soon a collection of strangers are standing around in varying degrees of undress waiting to see what happens next.
What happens next is a sauna.
A proper one.
I like heat, so naturally I head for the top bench. Mistake? Perhaps. Because they are not playing games here. Three great stacks of sauna stones dominate the centre of the space; water is enthusiastically ladled over them and the temperature climbs.
Then come the essential oils. Peppermint, jasmine, frankincense, whatever you are given, you are getting it. The scents hit the stones and fill the room while the performers begin an extraordinary, choreographed dance with towels, spinning, throwing and catching them before sending great waves of scented hot air across our increasingly pink bodies.
It is a performance in its own right.
Behind all this comes Virginia Woolf’s The Waves, its spoken text washing through the space as another layer of sound and sensation. I knew what I was getting into with Woolf, although halfway through I also discovered why I have never previously thought, “What this sauna really needs is Virginia Woolf.”
It is intense. Perhaps a little too intense for sauna consumption. But that’s almost beside the point because Sauna Theatre offers different experiences throughout the day, from Pictish chants and morning raves to late night DJ sets.
The concept reminds me of some of Summerhall’s previous Darkfield experiments, lying down in darkness, putting on headphones and surrendering yourself to sound. But this takes that proposition somewhere considerably more physical.
Rest. Listen. Sweat. Smell. Feel.
And then, gloriously, cool down.
The showers are properly cold. There is also a plunge pool, although so many hot bodies had entered by the time I arrived that it was developing the characteristics of a pleasantly warm communal bath.
Will Sauna Theatre work for everyone? Probably not. There is preparation involved, considerable heat and even a waiver to sign.
It certainly worked for me.
In the middle of a frantic Fringe Day, I emerged refreshed, invigorated and feeling about a million dollars.
Experimental theatre is sometimes very good at challenging an audience. Sauna Theatre has discovered it can challenge us, entertain us and send us back out into Edinburgh feeling considerably better than when we arrived.
This could become a very hot ticket.
Playing until August 31st 2026, https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/2026AUFGUSS
Reviewer: Greg Holstead
Reviewed: 10th August 2026
North West End UK / Theatre Muse UK Rating:
Running time – 1hr 30mins