15 May 2026
Death Note: The Musical has announced that Xander Pang (MacBeth, Beyond Paradise) will be playing the brilliant protagonist ‘Light’ and Colin Ryan (Hamlet, My Brilliant Friend, The Lightning Child) will be playing the mysterious consulting detective ‘L’ when this much-anticipated musical opens at London’s Barbican Theatre on 30 July for a limited six-week season.
The worldwide phenomenon Death Note: The Musical , based on the globally bestselling manga created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata, comes to the Barbican this summer in a newly reimagined musical production, featuring a revised script and newly written songs alongside the original acclaimed score by Frank Wildhorn, with lyrics by Jack Murphy and a book by Ivan Menchell. Following 10 years of acclaimed sold-out productions across Asia and record-breaking concerts at the London Palladium, this much-anticipated reimagined production will open on 30 July until 12 September.
Convinced he has been chosen to become the “god of a new world,” Light begins using the Death Note to eliminate criminals across the globe. As unexplained deaths mount, the public coins the name “Kira” for the unseen killer, with supporters praising his actions as crime rates plummet. With no physical evidence to follow, the authorities turn to the enigmatic master detective L, played by Colin Ryan, setting the stage for a gripping psychological battle between two brilliant minds.
Xander Pang who plays ‘Light’ is at the beginning of his career having previously appeared as Luke at The Other Palace in The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical after obtaining a degree from The University of Cambridge. He said, “I cannot explain how excited I am to be playing Light in this totally unique musical and look forward to showing London audiences the wonder of Death Note. To bring this show to the iconic Barbican Theatre is an unbelievable honour, and I can’t wait to share this stage and story with such an amazing team, and with everyone who comes to see it!”
Colin Ryan who plays L has an extensive theatre background having appeared in Wendy and Peter Pan with the RSC and The Lightning Child at Shakespeare’s Globe alongside TV credits including Wolf King on Netflix. Ryan noted of this incredible role, “Death Note is truly iconic, so I’m incredibly excited and proud to be stepping into the mind of L. I can’t wait to help bring this production to life at the Barbican this summer.”
Based on the internationally best-selling Japanese manga of the same name by Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata and Shueisha, this award-winning musical (Best Musical, Korea Musical Awards) features a score by Tony and Grammy Award winning composer Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde, Bonnie & Clyde and the Whitney Houston hit “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”) and lyrics by Tony-Award nominated Jack Murphy and book by Emmy-nominated Ivan Menchell.
One of the world’s most successful manga titles, Death Note, first published in Japan in 2003, has sold over 30 million copies worldwide and grown into a global cultural phenomenon spanning feature animation, video games, novels, films, television adaptations, and an acclaimed Netflix series, including a blockbuster two-part live-action film adaptation released in 2006.
Originally produced by HoriPro in 2015 with the authorization of the original creators, the musical adaptation has since enjoyed acclaimed productions across Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan over the past decade. Death Note was last seen in London at the Palladium in 2023 for a series of sold-out record-breaking concerts. Now the evolution of this internationally celebrated story continues on the London stage. Rooted in the acclaimed original, this reimagining for the West End (and a planned Broadway run) is the definitive theatrical incarnation of this unique story.
Alongside Wildhorn, this new production brings together an acclaimed creative team behind some of the West End’s biggest hits, including director Stephen Whitson (Hamilton UK and Moulin Rouge! UK), Emmy-nominated designer Jon Bausor (Spirited Away, Bat Out of Hell) and choreography by Olivier Award nominated Fabian Aloise (Evita at the London Palladium and Sunset Boulevard at The Savoy) alongside Jason Howland as orchestration and arranger, with additional lyrics by Morgan Reilly. Together, this creative team will bring scale, theatrical power, and contemporary energy to the world of Death Note.
Death Note delivers a thrilling exploration of justice, power, and the price of playing God. The storytelling is clear, the stakes are human, and the drama is universal. Audiences are invited to witness the clash of minds and morals, where every choice is fatal, and nothing is written in stone. If you already know it, this is the definitive way to experience it. If you don’t… you should.