Suds, Stardust, and Satire: SYRIAN SOAP at 2026 Hollywood Fringe

Award-Winning Clown Comedy Directed by Natasha Mercado

Get ready to enter the most surreal bathhouse in the universe. This June, award-winning standup and clown Edib Farhan makes their highly anticipated Hollywood Fringe Festival debut with Syrian Soap. Described as a 60-minute absurd ancestral intervention, the play transports audiences to an intergalactic bathhouse inspired by the high drama of Syrian soap operas.

At the heart of the production is the “bumptious, mustachioed ancestor” who is here to evaluate whether you are his wildest dream or his worst nightmare. The show promises a whirlwind of clowning and comedy, featuring everything from channeled poetry to a surprise visit from a traditional Syrian bathroom slipper—which serves as a poignant, if ridiculous, metaphor for life under fascism.

Farhan, a veteran of The Idiot Workshop, Groundlings, and UCB, brings a unique background as both a performer and a conflict mediator to the stage. Their previous work won “Best of San Francisco Fringe Festival” in 2024, and Syrian Soap has already garnered prestige as a winner of the 2026 Hollywood Fringe Scholarship.

A Masterclass in Clowning and Comedy

The production is directed and co-devised by Natasha Mercado, a powerhouse in the world of physical comedy. Mercado is renowned for her “Soft Clown” philosophy, a practice that treats sensitivity as a strength and pleasure as a primary tool for composition. Her work is celebrated for existing at the intersection of vulnerability and absurdity, focusing on the intelligence of the body and a deep relationship with the audience.

Mercado’s expertise is backed by a staggering 50 award nominations and recognition from industry legends. David Shiner, the co-creator of Cirque du Soleil, once described her as “fearless and completely out of her mind”. Under her guidance, Syrian Soap balances its “silliness and suds” with a profound “love letter to revolution and exile”.

Joy as an Act of Resistance

Beneath the intergalactic antics, the play serves as an invitation to unlock joy in a “world on fire”. It explores the idea that while healing can span seven generations, so can our family “f*ck-ups”. Selected by the National Queer Theater for the Criminal Queerness Festival and highlighted in the LA Times, this is a must-see event for those seeking comedy with a soul.

Performance Details:

Where: The Broadwater (Blackbox), 6322 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA.

When: June 13th at 10:30 pm, June 17th at 8:00 pm, June 18th at 9:30 pm and June 20th at 3:30 pm. Tickets are $15 and available HERE.