Absurdist Gibberish Play SLÜRT Premieres at Hollywood Fringe This June

A surreal journey through snow, stardust, and the language of the heart, Slürt, a new absurdist solo play written and performed entirely in gibberish by Emily Maverick, premieres at the Hollywood Fringe Festival this month. The production runs June 10 through June 25 at the Madnani Theater, with performances on June 10, 14, 19, 21, and 25.

Billed as a clown-heavy, deeply spiritual comedy, Slürt follows the story of Slürt Seinfeld, a mystical figure born alone in Antarctica who speaks in an invented language and dreams in icy constellations. As she seeks connection in a world that doesn’t understand her—linguistically or emotionally—audiences are swept into an otherworldly quest full of poetic nonsense, heartfelt longing, and whimsical physical comedy.

Though written entirely in gibberish, Slürt plays with the elasticity of language, aiming for emotional clarity that transcends words. “I want people to feel like they understand every word—even though they don’t,” Maverick explains. “Gibberish becomes the bridge between us.”

The origins of Slürt began with a party in Italy, where Maverick pretended to be Czech and improvised a fake language to blend in. The moment sparked years of curiosity about invented language, performance, and belonging. That seed grew into Slürt, which debuted at the Elysian Theater’s 2024 Spaghetti Fest and now arrives at Fringe in a fully realized form.

Maverick, who trained at École Philippe Gaulier and performs stand-up, clown, and character work throughout Los Angeles, describes Slürt as both “completely ridiculous” and “a comedy about love.” She says, “It’s about wanting connection but also being scared of it. It’s about feeling like an alien and softening into a messy human.”

The show’s visual and emotional world draws heavily from Maverick’s childhood fascination with the polar regions. “No one is from Antarctica,” she says. “It’s empty, infinite, and magic. That’s where Slürt is born—and what she’s made of.”

Showtimes for Slürt at Hollywood Fringe:

June 10 at 7:00 p.m.
June 14 at 8:00 p.m.
June 19 at 9:30 p.m.
June 21 at 6:00 p.m.
June 25 at 7:00 p.m.

Performances take place at Madnani Theater, known for its cozy, movie-style seating and intimate setting. Tickets are available now via the Hollywood Fringe website.

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