Arts diary: Why I'm dreading press night at the Fringe's Sauna Theatre

The Lithuanian conductor, who will take up her new position from the beginning of the 2027/28 season, when it celebrates its 50th anniversary, was headhunted for the job after she made her RSNO debut last season, when she conducted Mahler Symphony No1.

Ms Šlekytė was then invited back to record in Scotland’s Studio - the RSNO’s recording facility - early this year, when, the orchestra says, it became “clear” that she was the right person to usher the RSNO into the future.

Meanwhile, incumbent music director Thomas Søndergård steps into his new position of music director emeritus, which recognises his “exceptional contributions” to the RSNO and marks the 18th year since his debut.

‘We’re British. We keep our swimwear on at all times’

Hats off to whoever is doing the social media for the new Sauna Theatre to launch at Summerhall during this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The new venue’s sauna experts over on Instagram have opened themselves up to answer any questions about the experience - and there are plenty.

I have some myself, given the “swimwear only” - ie no normal clothes - guidance, which makes me a little nervous about press night. I love my arts colleagues, but there are few of them I want to see in skimpy speedos or bikinis and I’m sure the feeling is mutual. Thankfully, however, it turns out fully naked sauna-ing, as is de rigeur in Scandinavia, is banned.

“Please, we’re British! We keep our swimwear on at all times,” the Theatre Sauna’s team wrote. That’s a relief at least.

Answers to public questions revealed the hottest shows of the Fringe will be in “acts” of about 10 minutes each, an arguably sensible amount of time for most people to remain in a sauna, while hydrating drinks will be available to buy outside, where audience members can also partake in icy plunge pools.

Scottish actor Dan Buckley, who recently appeared in the Royal Lyceum Edinburgh’s production of One Day, asked, “Like...what am I supposed to wear? Be honest.”

The Sauna Theatre team replied: “Your finest, most fashionable swimwear. And a fetching sauna hat. You would rock a sauna hat.”

According to other replies, the theatre’s management seems particularly keen on sauna hats. They are a concept I had not come across before, but a quick Google reveals them to be like little felt acorn cups, akin to something a Flower Fairy might wear - or Peter Pan, if he was feeling particularly fashionable.

Meanwhile, Tamara Harvey, co-artistic director at the Royal Shakespeare Company, got straight to the point.

“So many questions,” she wrote. “But let’s start with - what is sauna theatre?”

“Hmm… how to describe sauna theatre?” the account owner replied, before bursting into their own Bard-inspired Sauna Theatre verse.

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

“Thou art more steamy and more reverent

“Soft winds from flutter’d towels blow cares away

“And summer now no longer feels itinerant

“The lovers here are sweaty and star-crossed

“So long as we can sweat and eyes can see

“In heat we bask, hearts in synchronicity.”

Wow. If they’re performing, I’m in.