Set inside Summerhall’s steam-filled Sauna Theatre, Lunch Break Luxuriate Lit Salon fuses spoken word with heat-filled sensations. Aiming to blend poetry, songs, and prose extracts with the serene sauna setting, the show invites audience members to relax and let the words wash over them alongside the heat.
Consisting of an alternating array of acts, Luxuriate Lit Salon showcases different performances in each show. The show is split into 10-minute sections, with gaps in between allocated for cooling time.
The show uses a stripped back version of the Aufguss technique, where water infused with essential oils is poured over hot stones to create steam. An Aufguss master then wafts a towel over the steam and twirls this around the sauna to distribute the oils throughout each performance. Each set had a specific scent that was individually chosen by the performer to compliment their act.
The show I went to combined poetry with translated songs. The poems focused on human connection, urban life, and spirituality. This lasted for 2 of the 3 segments. Meanwhile, the final session of the show consisted of translated songs. First sung in Korean and then translated afterwards into English.
Both of these performances were starkly different, and while I do think they were both relaxing, I think the show could have benefitted from another act that took place in the second segment in order to link the performances better. The show was definitely relaxing and incredibly laid back, however it also felt somewhat unpolished, although this may have been intentional.
I would definitely say that Lunch Break Luxuriate Lit Salon is a good show for those interested in literature, poetry, and spoken word. The performance was successful in maintaining a relaxed atmosphere whilst also delivering thought provoking performance.
Lunch Break Luxuriate Lit Salon is running until the 31st of August at The Sauna Theatre at Summerhall. Buy tickets here.
Image by Victoria Haydn, provided to The Student for press use
