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Adapted for the stage by
Ken Ludwig -
Directed by
Dan Bain
Ken Ludwig's clever adaptation of the Agatha Christie classic boasts all the glamour, intrigue, and suspense of Dame Agatha's celebrated novel, with a healthy dose of humour to quicken the pace.
Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed eight times, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, the passengers rely on detective Hercule Poirot to identify the murderer – in case they decide to strike again.
“Strikes the perfect balance of the cerebral and the comic. Get on board – it’s a great ride.” – Houstonian Magazine
“The fast-moving, powerful theatrical locomotive Murder on the Orient Express will get you to a better place, and slay you merrily en route.” – Hartford Courant
“I felt myself leaning in with the entire audience when detective Poirot tells us he’s figured out who did it. What a climax! When the train whistle blows in the theatre, all we need to do is sit down, shut up and enjoy.” – The Houston Chronicle
“A love letter to the original material, with a swift moving script adaptation by Ken Ludwig... Everything you could want – broadly drawn characters, exotic settings, and a spectacular murder with no shortage of suspects.” – BroadwayWorld
“Agatha Christie is not the bestselling novelist in history for nothing, and Ken Ludwig’s adaptation strikes the perfect balance of the cerebral and the comic. Get on board – it’s a great ride.” – Houstonian Magazine
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, AGATHA CHRISTIE and POIROT are registered trademarks of Agatha Christie Limited in the UK and elsewhere. All rights reserved.
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Key Dates
- 1 March 2024: Accessibly Priced Preview
- 2 March 2024: Opening night
- 5 March 2024: Forum - a special performance where audiences get to ask cast and crew questions after the show
- 21 March 2024: New Zealand Actors Benevolent Fund 'bucket drive'
- 23 March 2024: Matinee at 2pm
- 12 April 2024: Closing night
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Tickets
Earlybird** Standard Adult $59 $69 Senior (65+) $59 $62 Friends of The Court Theatre $59 $59 Group (10+) 10% Discount* Child (under 18) $35 Community Services, Student ID or Hāpai Access cardholders $41 *Applies to Standard Adult, Friends, Child and Senior price tickets
** Early bird price is only valid for the first two weeks of the show’s season – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Matinees only. Early bird ticket sales close on the opening night of the show. -
Cast
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Creative
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Press Reviews
"With beautiful costumes (Findlay Currie) and wigs (Rachael Mountstevens), sumptuous sets and a feast of flamboyant larger-than-life characters, Murder on the Orient Express provides an exotic theatrical escape; c'est bien comme ça!"
"Whodunnit? Dan dunnit; Dan “bloody brilliant” Bain. Dan Bain bloody did it. What a ride it’s been, and how wonderful to arrive at this destination with him and his dream cast."
"...it doesn’t matter if you already know whodunnit, or where the train is headed – the pleasure in the Court Theatre’s compelling production is in the journey."
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Audience Reviews (12)
"James Kupa and his fellow thespians were superb in the preview performance. The acting was great and the interspersed humour was perfect. We had a thoroughly enjoyable evening. The only complaint, the seats are jolly uncomfortable! ""This was one of the BEST shows I’ve seen - not only at the Court, but anywhere! The cast were impeccable in their characterisations, the sets were genius and the director had the ‘light relief’ down to a ‘T’! Agatha would be proud, as would Mr Ludwig, I’m sure.
Bravo to all involved: I can see why the season has been extended and am sure you will sell out easily with the happy patrons chatting about recommendations when exiting!""A stunning performance that personifies the incredible standard of set designs & actors that we have the absolute pleasure of watching.
Well done yet again.
Best wishes & congratulations to all.""We were blown away by the quality of the production. This is by far the best rendition of “Murder on the Orient Express” we’ve seen. From the set to sound and lighting to the acting, everything was on point. Each and every actor shone and were very memorable. We are already planning on returning for another viewing of this great production before it exits.""We went to Murder on the Orient Express last night and it was spectacular. We have been to many many shows in London and of its kind this was as good if not better than some of what we saw over there.
The cast/acting was awesome. The sets...oh the sets. The builders should have taken a bow with the cast. What a great theatre as well.
Well done to all involved. What a treat!""Another fine production by the Court theatre company. How you pull off these complex performances amazes and impresses me. Totally immersive experience . Thank you. ""Most enjoyable live theatre performance I've experienced. Great date night, kept us captivated with the performances, the absolutely incredible set, and the story. Wonderful!""Best show we have seen for a long time The sets are amazing and need full credit ! Where were they made? We could easily see it again and whole heartedly recommend it to everyone!""Amazing show, the acting was extremely professional and really capitvating. Loved that it stayed true to the novel and the essence of Agatha Christie's storyline. Awesome set and costumes. A wonderful experience to remember. ""It goes without saying that of course, all the actors were excellent. I was especially impressed by James Kupa, who I hadn't seen before, it was a delightful performance and even with my elderly, unassisted ears, I could hear every word.
But, as so many others have remarked, the sets were amazing and so ingenious - I wanted to applaud when the train came on, it almost stole the show!
I did appreciate that the cast, in the curtain call, made an acknowledgment to the set and crew.
I agree the creatives should also take a bow. Dan's directing was superb, and the lighting design was excellent, spot on and so complicated, I especially liked the lighting for the flashback sequences, and the sound also deserves special mention.
It was a most enjoyable evening, even when you are familiar with the outcome, and Poirot's final speech was very moving.
""This was the best show I have ever seen at the Court. We were riveted throughout, the cast preformed outstandingly and the sets were International standard. Huge congratulations to all involved""Superb show. The cast were just fantastic. Really inhabited their characters. Sets were great too. Bravo!"