Performer and producer Duru Agirbas talks modern adaptation of Turkish play, ‘Gelin’: “. It is valuable to create work that allows some audiences to fully relate, while also inviting others to learn”

Nearly two centuries after its original run, İbrahim Şinasi’s Şair Evlenmesi returns to the stage through a modern revision, swapping the Ottoman Empire for London’s multicultural landscape. Guillermo Nazara chats with the artist to learn more about the development of this updated play of manners, what ideas they are still married to, and what concepts they’ve decided to separate themselves from.

How does it feel to be finally opening your own version of Şinasi’s 160-year-old play?

It is really exciting! I’ve had experience with this kind of work before, especially during my studies at University of the Arts London, where we’d take an existing text and adapt it. For example, during my degree, we reimagined Shakespeare by bringing together all the women from his plays into a murder mystery, where they meet and try to uncover which one of them killed Shakespeare.

Building on that, the idea of taking an important piece, not just making it our own but also collaborating across different cultures, casts, and creatives, feels incredibly special. I believe setting it in London and seeing these two cultures exist in harmony together is especially meaningful.

What prompted you to bring this piece back?

I have been working on projects that place women at the centre. One of the works I created was a short satirical film that critiques arranged marriage through a step-by-step guide, highlighting issues that were even more prevalent in the past, such as young brides.

While reflecting on Turkish theatre, I was reminded of Şinasi’s play, which I have always found humorous yet problematic in certain ways. The play critiques arranged marriage and was notably progressive for its period. However, when viewed from a contemporary perspective, it offers very little space for women’s voices. Therefore, it felt very natural to take such a timeless and important piece of Turkish theatre and put our own spin on it, reinterpreting it through today’s world and women’s perspectives.

One of your intentions as a producer and director is to build stronger bridges between Turkish and British culture. Why do you think this is important?

I think this is important because it reflects my experiences living in London and what inspires me about being here. For the past five years, I have lived in London, where I have loved learning about a different culture, while those around me have shown a genuine interest in my own. This has made me reflect on the importance of creating work in one’s own language, while also finding ways to share that culture with a wider audience. It is valuable to create work that allows some audiences to fully relate, while also inviting others to learn, offering points of connection as well as moments of difference.

This production features an updated version of the story, as it takes place in a contemporary setting. What aspects of the script have been altered or updated?

The biggest change was shifting the perspective from a male-centred viewpoint to a women-centred one. We reworked the “ugly older sister / pretty younger sister” trope by transforming the characters into two best friends, moving the focus away from physical appearance and instead adding greater emotional depth and complexity to their characters. One element we kept closely aligned with the original play was the wedding scene, including the deception of the groom through the exchange of the bride.

How do you think this piece could resonate with general audiences of non-Turkish origins?

Since the play takes place in London, non-Turkish audiences can resonate with the location and cultural context. Estelle Warner, the writer of Gelin, leans into her British comedic voice, much like how Şinasi used satirical comedy in his original piece. Also, the character Yaz (Aylin’s best friend, who is not Turkish) acts as a way for non-Turkish audiences to resonate with Gelin. Like some of the audience, she is not familiar with Turkish culture.

Friendship and family are the central parts of Gelin and these themes are universal to any audience member. In particular, the conversations between mother and daughter that happen in the play could feel familiar to conversations they have with their own parents, particularly of feeling unheard or the pressure to make them proud.

What has the development process been like?

I really enjoyed the producing side of this project. The development process began with me bringing the original play to Estelle Warner, the writer of the play. We engaged in thorough research and discussions about how we wanted to adapt it and make it our own. I was particularly interested in exploring themes of women navigating social pressures in their own ways, as well as contrasting the modern dating world with the traditional context of arranged marriage. Estelle took these ideas and wrote the initial draft script, which we then developed together.

The same collaborative process continued with Erica Rosa Lima, our director. She took the script and infused it with her own ideas and voice in rehearsals. While she is not Turkish, she has personally experienced social pressures as a woman, which informed her perspective.

From there, I built the rest of the creative team. In every department for this project, I made sure collaboration has been central. Having a strong, passionate team open to feedback made the process much smoother and creatively fulfilling. We discuss ideas collectively and support one another without overriding the director’s decisions, creating a truly collaborative environment.

Our set and costume designers, Mingchi Yan and Zeynep Agirbas, contributed incredible ideas, which we explored together. Regular check-ins helped maintain team spirit and ensured everyone had the chance to share their perspectives. This approach has proved especially effective for a play rooted in Turkish culture, performed by a young ensemble of artists.

Finally, thanks to the Arcola Theatre for the R&D we were able to use the space to rehearse, and we also had the chance to get feedback from our peers and fellow artists.

How challenging is it to perform in a play you are also producing?

Performing in a play I am also producing hasn’t been overly challenging for me, partly because I’ve worked on projects before where I took on multiple roles.

I really enjoy bringing people together and organising a project, but my love for acting remains central. The collaborators have brought ideas to the table and have taken ownership of their process, hence why it wasn’t really challenging. During this process, I have especially relied on my co-producer, Nejla Yasar, whose support has been invaluable.

This experience inspired me to create even bigger opportunities and to explore touring in other cities across the UK and Turkey in the future.

Have you found any other challenges in this piece, either creative or performative?

One challenge we faced was avoiding the impression that the play is judging arranged marriage as inherently good or bad. Instead, we wanted to focus on the pressures women face and how they find their own ways to navigate them, as well as the relationships between the women themselves.

Another aspect we worked on was developing the mother character played by me. Our goal is for the audience to see that she is not the villain of the story, but rather a figure through whom we explore the importance of listening and truly hearing one another.  

Are there any highlights you would like to flag?

One of the biggest highlights of this project for me was working with such inspiring young emerging artists. We created lasting memories throughout the process together, including spending time sharing a Turkish meal in order to better understand the cultural context of the work.

Another highlight was the opportunity to portray a deeply layered character, the role I am playing: the mother, Sevim, who comes from a generation very different from my own. Exploring the traditions and societal expectations that are central to her identity was particularly engaging. I had to work carefully on understanding which traditions she genuinely holds close to her heart and which she follows primarily to meet social expectations. Central to this process was recognising the deep love she has for her daughter and her sincere desire to do what she believes is best for her, even if this is expressed through her own, sometimes restrained, way of showing emotion.

As part of my research, I spoke with my grandmother, who shares similarities with this character. She was married through an arranged marriage and followed her family’s wishes without resistance. She describes her marriage as a happy one, suggesting that arranged marriage worked for her in a way that it also works for the character of Sevim.

Why come see ‘Gelin’?

This play offers a talented young cast, plenty of laughs, and a chance to experience the richness of Turkish language and culture. Don’t miss it!

This site is proudly sponsored by

Gelin plays at London’s Canal Café Theatre on Saturday 31 January and Sunday 1 February 2026. Check for returns on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara