Death Note: The Musical at Barbican Theatre Review
Death Note is a juggernaut of a manga series by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, which took the world by storm in the 00s. Having been turned into an award-winning anime, live action adaptations and a West End concert in 2023, the latest rendition of this story arrives as a musical at the Barbican this summer for six weeks only.
In this dark tale, we meet the Shinigami, morose and bored Gods of death who kill indiscriminately using their “Death Notes” and are a literal world apart from the mortal realm. In a fit of boredom, Shinigami Ryuk drops his Death Note into the mortal world, where it is found by passionate student Light (Xander Pang). All one needs to do is write a name into the book while visualising what the person looks like, and they shall die. Light, an incredibly bright student with a childish and black and white view of justice, decides to use the book, with deadly results for criminals across society. Without spoilers, the story then becomes a game of cat and mouse between Light, who wishes to restore ‘justice’ to the world, and the police, led by the mysterious detective L, who wishes to stop this childish mass murderer known as ‘Kira’. This is a flawless adaptation that doesn’t require any knowledge of the manga or anime to engage with and enjoy, while remaining an equally enjoyable experience for those who are very familiar with the storyline.
It is rare to find a cast that so perfectly encapsulates their characters. The Shinigami are suitably ineffable, ethereal and funny. Telly Leung is especially sinister and hilarious as Ryuk, searching for any way to alleviate his boredom with his duties and routine. Chloe Saracco as Gelus and Grace Mouat as Rem are sincere and profound in their protective love for Misa. Stephanie Zaharis is suitably naïve, idealistic and sincere as Misa, the tragic popstar. Paolo Montalban is spectacular as police chief Soichiro, who is unwavering in his determination to apprehend Kira. Xander Pang as Light is magnificent in showcasing the change from an idealistic and passionate student who wishes to change the world into a ruthless and arrogant monster. Colin Ryan as detective L is phenomenal. He captures L’s strange and ethereal mannerisms and ruthless analytical approach to Light perfectly. Their chemistry together, as a modern Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes, is wonderful and filled with spectacular tension. Overall, this cast is truly incredible together on stage.
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The running time of one hour for each act works perfectly to keep the audience immersed headlong into the story, keeping the pace taut and exhilarating throughout until its breathtaking crescendo. Frank Wildhorn’s catchy pop-rock composition and Jack Murphy’s lyrics keep the show firmly grounded in the 00s, with lyrics that are both profound and incredibly tongue in cheek. This soundtrack is perfect for immersing the audience into the darkly sinister game of cat and mouse that L and Light play to their inevitable Reichenbach fall.
Fabian Aloise has created deeply stunning and unsettling choreography which perfectly suits and increases the intensity and high stakes of this musical throughout. Costume designer Sachiko Nakahara has created stylish and fierce costumes for the cast which reflect their intentions perfectly. The Shinigami costumes have changed from previous productions to be a more subtle representation of their ethereal nature, but still powerfully remind the audience that they are far from human and have very different ideals and interests.
Jen Schriever’s lighting design works perfectly with Jon Bausor’s incredible set to bring the gritty industrial atmosphere to vivid life. Illustrations of towering skyscrapers, reflective of the stylised scenes in the anime and manga, alongside parts of the set which revolve, appear and disappear, add visually to all the twists and turns of this production. It is a brilliant merging of visual and physical scenery.
This is a stunning adaptation of Death Note which will write its way into the history books. This short six-week run at the Barbican is the first of, hopefully, many revivals of this show. Death Note is triumphant, exhilarating and a pure shot of adrenaline from start to end. If you enjoy a magnificent cast, a phenomenal adaptation, brilliant sets and a stunning night out, then this is the perfect show for you this summer.
Death Note: The Musical plays at the Barbican Theatre until 12 September 2026.
★★★★★
Written by Reviews Team at Theatre and Tonic, August 2026.
