After a sold-out 2025 season, the fastest-selling production in Auckland Theatre Company’s history, Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express is returning by overwhelming popular demand. Audiences now have a second chance to climb aboard the world’s most infamous train when the hit production returns for a strictly limited season to the ASB Waterfront Theatre from 7 – 22 February 2026.
Tickets are on sale now for this killer season. All aboard – again!
Directed by acclaimed theatre-maker and Arts Laureate Shane Bosher, this lavish, full-throttle staging plunges audiences deep into the glamour and danger of 1930’s Europe. With rich period detail, razor-sharp humour, and a plot packed with intrigue, the production has captivated both critics and theatregoers.
“A delightful piece of entertainment, two hours of pure escapism produced to the highest quality.” — The New Zealand Herald
“A madcap romp of a whodunnit full of red herrings, high drama and hijinks; escalating to a very Agatha Christie climax.” — Red Raven
Audiences will again follow the legendary Belgian detective Hercule Poirot as he unravels a murder aboard the snowbound luxury train. When a passenger is discovered dead with eight stab wounds and no footprints leading away, Poirot concludes the killer is still on board – and every passenger is a suspect.
“Pure, unadulterated entertainment.” — NZ Arts Review
“A set that dazzles, a cast that delights… everything right there on the stage.” — Blackguard Media Reviews
“A crackingly good whodunnit.” — Andrew Whiteside
With more than a hundred theatre productions to his credit, beloved actor Cameron Rhodes returns to the stage in the pivotal role of famous detective Hercule Poirot. He is joined by a stellar ensemble that includes Brayden Cresswell (Mr Redlight, Mr Burns), Jacque Drew (Spartacus: House of Ashur, Shortland Street), Bronwyn Ensor (Shortland Street, Saint Joan), Sophie Henderson (Workmates, The Writer), Jennifer Ludlam (Shortland Street, Peter Pan), Ryan O’Kane (North by Northwest, The Justice of Bunny King), Renaye Tamati (The Brokenwood Mysteries,Camp Be Better), Jason Te Kare (Cellfish, director of Scenes from the Climate Era), and Edwin Wright (A Remarkable Place to Die, The Gone).
Adapted for the stage by Tony Award–nominated playwright Ken Ludwig, Christie’s masterpiece remains one of the greatest whodunnits ever written – a locked-room mystery brimming with unforgettable characters, jaw-dropping twists, and exquisite suspense. This production delivers it all with cinematic flair and theatrical precision.
Whether you’re a first-time sleuth or returning for another ride, this is the theatrical event Auckland can’t stop talking about. Don’t miss your chance to be part of the action; no extension is possible!!
Photo credit – Andi Crown
AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS
Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig
Return Season
ASB Waterfront Theatre
7 – 22 February 2026
Tickets on sale now at atc.co.nz
