Have you ever sat in a theatre and thought, ‘wouldn’t it be better if this room was much hotter? Like much, much hotter’. To state the obvious: the sauna theatre is crazy hot. At 90 degrees Celsius, it’s so swelteringly humid that one can only last a maximum of 15 minutes before retreating outside for a quick plunge in Summerhall’s ice-cold pools or showers.
Yet ultimately this is simply the nature of a sauna, and that’s why I cannot give this experience a star rating. I personally found the whole thing intensely uncomfortable, as I threw my body from one extreme temperature to another, becoming a dizzy, disorientated wreck in the process. It turns out I am simply not a sauna-goer. There are plenty who are, though. And for them, the Morning Sauna Rave can be a joyous, uniting experience.
What happens at this rave is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. A highly talented DJ, in a pod protected from the heat, plays some absolute bangers, and the crowd boogie until they feel the impulse to dive into a plunge pool. There is much laughter, much singing, and speakers with such incredible bass that the entire building shakes. It all feels like an exciting new hot club (literally…)
What does make this sauna experience unique is its inclusion of Aufguss, an immersive experience using heat, essential oils and towel work. Two sauna masters visit three times during the hour, and circulate interesting scents around the venue by twisting and throwing towels. It is genuinely incredible to watch, with the towels spinning at a staggering rate, not too dissimilar to a bullfighter and their red cape. This is an intensely visceral experience, with the scented air the masters have wafted hitting you immediately, at points even leading to watering eyes.
If this sounds up your street, then I urge you to visit. Lucy Osborne and James Grieve can only be praised for such an innovative concept and design. For myself, I’m too big a fan of air conditioning to be converted (pun intended). That’s not to say I don’t like a rave, but let’s keep my body temperature stable when I’m at one please.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
