One of Agatha Christie’s most famous murder mysteries is coming to the Gaiety Theatre for the first time next month.

Murder on the Orient Express will be staged by Parker & Snell Company from Thursday, November 19 to Saturday, November 21, in a new production adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig and directed by Colin Snell.

The story follows Belgian detective Hercule Poirot as a journey aboard the luxurious Orient Express takes a deadly turn.

When the train becomes trapped by deep snow, an American millionaire is found murdered in his locked compartment, leaving Poirot to investigate a carriage full of passengers, each with secrets of their own.

With conflicting accounts and hidden motives to unravel, the detective must identify the killer before it is too late.

Director Colin Snell said the company had wanted to stage the production for some time.

‘There are very few titles in crime fiction as instantly recognisable as Murder on the Orient Express. It has everything you want – an extraordinary setting, a fascinating group of characters, suspense, a little bit of humour and, of course, one of the most famous finales to a murder mystery ever devised.’

‘We want the audience to feel as though they have stepped aboard the Orient Express with Poirot and become part of the mystery themselves.’

The production follows the company’s staging of the Manx premiere of Christie’s ‘The Mousetrap’ at the Gaiety Theatre, which attracted almost 4,000 people.

First published in 1934, Murder on the Orient Express has become one of Christie’s best-known works, inspiring numerous screen adaptations.

Producer Carl Parker said audiences could expect a different experience from seeing the story performed live.

‘Even if you already know the story, there is something completely different about watching it unfold live. And for anyone who doesn’t know the finale, we certainly won’t be giving anything away.’

There will be four performances across the three-day run.

Tickets are available through the VillaGaiety box office at VillaGaiety.com or by calling 600555.