SAUNA

a Finnish experience

A sweaty monologue

SAUNA takes place on an ordinary Sunday afternoon in an ordinary gay sauna. The main character The Man enters the SAUNA in search of a passionate sexual encounter. His mission seems, however, impossible. He is haunted by his fears of rejection and memories of past bad experiences. The more he meanders about in the steam, the weaker his chances of establishing any kind of contact seems to get. Will The Man find the courage to overcome his fears and find what he truely is looking for?

To be preformed in English.

Finnish - Danish collaboration

In 2020 Finnish writer, Essi Aittamaa, wrote the audio drama Sauna that was performed on the Finnish National broadcasting company YLE in 2021.

Finding that this play offered more discoveries Aittamaa joined forced with ULS director Nina Larissa Bassett and performer Daniel Neil Ash to delve further into the SAUNA universe.

Through workshops, research interviews and readings the team intends to develop the play into an engaging monolog to be performed in site-specific locations in Finland and Denmark in 2022 - 2023.

Who is in SAUNA

Text: Essi Aittamaa

Direction/ dramatuge: Nina Larissa Bassett

Performer: Daniel Neil Ash

Produced by: Essi Aittamaa and Uneasy Listening Society

Part of the Reality Research Centre/ Todellisuuden tutkimuskeskuks OFF Program.

Supported by: SKR 2021 - Finnish Cultural Foundation