The UK's first sauna theatre has become a standout attraction at this year's Edinburgh Fringe, combining live performance with traditional sauna rituals in an unconventional new cultural experience.

The 80-seat sauna venue, located behind Summerhall, is hosting theatre, storytelling and music performances while audiences sit inside a purpose-built sauna. Visitors attend in swimwear, with organisers stressing that the venue is strictly non-nudist.

The experience also incorporates “aufguss”, a traditional sauna ritual involving essential oils, towel movements and carefully controlled heat. Performances include an adaptation of Virginia Woolf's The Waves and a production exploring Scotland's historical sweat-house traditions.

The unusual format demonstrates how the Edinburgh Fringe continues to push the boundaries of conventional theatre and audience participation.

Rather than simply watching a performance, audiences are being asked to experience theatre through heat, sound, movement and atmosphere.

The organisers say the response has been encouraging, raising the possibility that sauna-based performance could return to Edinburgh in future years.