A high school student finds a notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it. That premise turned Death Note into one of the best-selling manga ever, and this summer it finally got a full stage production in London. Death Note The Musical London 2026 played the Barbican Theatre from 30 July to 12 September, and the run is now over.
Here is the short version of how it went. The season sold out, it broke box office records at the Barbican, and most critics gave it four stars, although a couple of papers really did not like it. Xander Pang as Light and Colin Ryan as L collected most of the praise, and so did the set. Before the final show had even happened, the producers confirmed it is coming back in spring 2027.
If you went, this is a look back. If you missed it, this covers what the show actually was, what the Death Note The Musical review pile said, and what you need to know before the return season.
| Detail | Quick Answer |
|---|---|
| What was it? | Death Note stage musical |
| When? | 30 Jul–12 Sep 2026 |
| Where? | Barbican Theatre |
| Sales | Sold out; broke Barbican records |
| Reviews | Mixed; mostly 4 stars |
| What’s next? | Returns 23 Mar–15 May 2027 |
| Fun Fact |
| The 2027 dates run through spring, which is a busy time for visitors coming into London. If you are travelling in for the show, My London Transfer runs door-to-door rides across the city, so you can book your airport pickup and theatre trip together. |
What Was Death Note | The Musical?
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A Best-Selling Manga Turned Into a Rock Opera Thriller About Power and Justice
Death Note started life as a manga by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, first published in 2003. Light Yagami, a gifted and bored student in Tokyo, picks up a notebook dropped by Ryuk, a death god who wants some entertainment. Anyone whose name Light writes in it dies. He decides to use it to wipe out criminals and build what he thinks is a fairer world, which makes him a mass murderer who believes he is doing good. A strange, brilliant detective known only as L is brought in to find him, and the story becomes a battle of wits between two people who refuse to show their hand.
The musical opened in Japan in 2015 and had sell-out runs across Japan, Korea and Taiwan, winning Best Musical at the Korea Musical Awards. London got a first taste in 2023 with concert performances at the London Palladium. The 2026 Barbican production was the first full English-language staging, reworked with the original Japanese producers HoriPro, with extra lyrics by Morgan Reilly added to Jack Murphy’s originals and a book by Ivan Menchell.
| Fun Fact |
| The Death Note manga has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. That built-in fanbase showed up in force: Time Out’s critic saw the show the Monday after press night and found the house packed, with a big crowd of young fans. |
How Did the Barbican Run Go?
Six Sold-Out Weeks and a String of Box Office Records
Commercially, it was a hit. According to the Barbican’s announcement of the 2027 season, the show sold out its strictly limited 2026 run. It set the venue’s record for the highest-grossing single week of a musical, and then beat the record for the highest-grossing single performance of a musical five consecutive times. For a new musical based on a Japanese comic, at a venue outside the West End, that is a big result.
| Milestone | Date | What Happened |
|---|---|---|
| Tickets on sale | 9 Mar 2026 | General booking opened |
| First preview | 30 Jul 2026 | First public performance |
| Press night | 11 Aug 2026 | Official opening |
| Return announced | Early Sep 2026 | 2027 season confirmed |
| Final performance | 12 Sep 2026 | Sold-out run closed |
What Did the Critics Say?
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Mostly Four Stars, With a Couple of Loud Dissenters
Reviews split more than the box office did. The majority were positive, with praise for the leads and the design, while the doubts centred on the score and on how much of a long story got squeezed into one evening. The theatre.reviews roundup put the critics’ average at 3.4 stars.
| Outlet | Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsOnStage | 4★ | Strong production & spectacle |
| The Guardian | 4★ | Smart & entertaining |
| LondonTheatre | 4★ | Impressive visuals |
| BroadwayWorld | 4★ | Strong cast & visuals |
| Time Out | 3★ | Faithful but cautious |
| The Standard | 2★ | Critical of score & direction |
| The Telegraph | 1★ | Strongly negative |
The Financial Times also came down on the positive side, calling it a riotous spectacle with a strong young central trio, and the show’s marketing carried a five-star quote from The Stage. On the other side, the negative reviews were not mild. The Telegraph’s complaint was mainly about the music, which it found repetitive across the show’s 27 songs, while The Standard took issue with the whole package.
So the honest summary of the Death Note The Musical review coverage is that most critics enjoyed it a lot, a few hated it, and audiences clearly sided with the first group.
Who Stood Out in the Cast?
Xander Pang and Colin Ryan Carried the Cat-and-Mouse Duel
The central rivalry is the whole show, and the two leads delivered. Across the reviews, Xander Pang was credited with making Light’s slide from frustrated student to power-mad killer believable, and Colin Ryan’s L, hunched and odd with a teaspoon never far from his hand, was one of the most talked-about performances of the run. Stephanie Zaharis as the pop star Misa, and Grace Mouat as the death god Rem, also picked up strong notices.
| Actor | Role | What Stood Out |
|---|---|---|
| Xander Pang | Light Yagami | His descent into megalomania anchored the story. |
| Colin Ryan | L | Strange, charismatic and a strong singer. A favourite with critics. |
| Telly Leung | Ryuk | Played the apple-eating death god as a cackling trickster. |
| Stephanie Zaharis | Misa Amane | Balanced big pop numbers with a vulnerable side. |
| Grace Mouat | Rem | Named a standout by the Financial Times. |
| Paolo Montalban | Soichiro Yagami | Light’s father and the police chief on Kira’s trail. |
The company also included Chloe Saracco as Jerasu and Elise Buckley as Sayu, plus a full ensemble. Behind them, Stephen Whitson directed, Fabian Aloise choreographed, Jon Bausor designed the set, Sachiko Nakahara did costumes, Jen Schriever lit it and Akhila Krishnan handled video.
How Did the Music and Staging Land?
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A Divisive Frank Wildhorn Score and a Set That Won Almost Everyone Over
The music is by Frank Wildhorn, the composer of Jekyll & Hyde and Bonnie & Clyde, and it was the most divisive part of the show. Wildhorn writes big pop-rock anthems and power ballads, and for the Barbican the original score was joined by new songs. WhatsOnStage found it haunting and majestic. The Standard and The Telegraph found it bland and repetitive. If you like your musicals loud and emotional, you were probably in the first camp.
The design was a different story. Jon Bausor’s set was one of the few things nearly every critic agreed on. It used a raised platform to separate the death gods from the human world, doubling as Tokyo’s skyline, with a revolve and moving set pieces keeping scenes flowing. Akhila Krishnan’s projections of flickering neon and rain made it feel like a real city. The production kept the stage hidden until curtain-up, and a five-star review from All That Dazzles described the reveal as getting a gasp from the whole room.
How Faithful Was It to the Manga?
A Tighter Story Built Around Light, L and Misa
Death Note runs to 108 chapters and a 37-episode anime, so something had to give. The musical draws mainly on the first half of the story and focuses on three characters: Light, L and Misa. Several supporting characters were cut or merged, and a lot of the slow build between Light and the police investigation was compressed.
That choice split fans and critics. Time Out felt the show stayed so close to the source that it missed the chance to make Light a deeper, more tragic figure. The Reviews Hub felt the opposite problem: too much had been cut, leaving the story a bit cool for fans and a little disjointed for newcomers. Musical Theatre Review came down firmly in favour, calling it a taut story that anyone could follow without knowing the manga.
| Fun Fact |
| Frank Wildhorn has form with Japanese stories. He also wrote the musical of Your Lie in April, which played the Harold Pinter Theatre in the West End in 2024, and a stage version of Fist of the North Star. |
What Happens Next for Death Note in London?
The Show Returns to the Barbican From 23 March to 15 May 2027
If you missed it, you get a second chance. Before the 2026 season closed, the producers announced an eight-week return to the Barbican Theatre in spring 2027. Tickets are already on sale through the official Death Note: The Musical website and the Barbican.
| Detail | 2027 Season |
|---|---|
| Dates | 23 March to 15 May 2027 |
| Length | A limited eight-week run, longer than the 2026 season |
| Venue | Barbican Theatre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS |
| Tickets | On sale now via the official show website and the Barbican box office |
| Cast | Casting for 2027 had not been confirmed at the time of writing |
Given how quickly the first run sold out, it makes sense to book the 2027 dates early, especially weekends and the final weeks. Any wider West End transfer or UK tour would be pure speculation for now.
Missed It? Plan Your Trip for the 2027 Season
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Getting to the Barbican and Sorting Your London Travel Early
The Barbican Theatre is in the City of London rather than the West End theatre cluster, and the complex is famously easy to get lost in. Aim to arrive about 30 minutes early, head to Level G and follow the signs. The City also goes quiet late at night, so plan your trip home before the show rather than after.
| Option | Roughly how far | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Barbican station | 5 min walk | Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines. |
| Moorgate station | 7 min walk | Northern and Elizabeth line access. |
| St Paul’s station | 11 min walk | Central line and the Friday and Saturday Night Tube. |
| Pre-booked transfer | Door to Silk Street | Groups, late finishes and airport arrivals. |
Plenty of fans travelled into London for the 2026 run, and the spring 2027 season will draw the same crowd. If you are flying in, a fixed-price car from Heathrow, Gatwick or one of London’s other airports takes you from arrivals to your hotel without the Tube and a suitcase. Coming in by train? A ride from Liverpool Street station gets you to the Barbican in minutes. You can also fit in a private London tour of St Paul’s and the old City before curtain-up. If budget matters, read our cheap airport taxi guide before you book.
The Bottom Line
Death Note | The Musical took a risk: a dark Japanese manga, a rock-opera score and a venue outside the usual theatre district. It paid off. The run sold out, broke records at the Barbican, and won over most critics and a very loud fanbase, even if a few reviewers walked out unconvinced. Read any Death Note The Musical review from the run and the same two names keep coming up: Pang and Ryan.
The show is back from 23 March to 15 May 2027, so if you missed it this summer, you do not have to wait long. And if you are building a bigger London trip around events, our guides to Formula E London 2026 and Glorious Goodwood 2026 cover two more worth planning for.
Heading to the Barbican for the 2027 Season?
My London Transfer runs private event transfer rides to theatres, hotels and airports, so your night runs on your schedule. Going with a group? A single minibus keeps everyone together.
Book your transfer ahead of time and arrive ready for the show.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. When did Death Note | The Musical play in London?
It played the Barbican Theatre from 30 July to 12 September 2026, with press night on 11 August. The season ran for around 50 performances.
2. Is Death Note: The Musical coming back?
Yes. It returns to the Barbican Theatre from 23 March to 15 May 2027 for a limited eight-week season. Tickets are on sale through the official show website and the Barbican.
3. Did Death Note: The Musical sell out?
Yes. The 2026 season sold out, set the Barbican record for the highest-grossing single week of a musical, and broke the single-performance record five times in a row.
4. What did critics think of it?
Most reviews were positive. WhatsOnStage, The Guardian, LondonTheatre, BroadwayWorld and the Financial Times gave it four stars, Time Out gave three, The Standard two and The Telegraph one.
5. Who was in the cast?
Xander Pang played Light Yagami and Colin Ryan played L, with Telly Leung as Ryuk, Stephanie Zaharis as Misa Amane, Grace Mouat as Rem and Paolo Montalban as Soichiro Yagami.
6. Will the 2027 season have the same cast?
Casting for 2027 had not been confirmed at the time of writing. Check the official show website for announcements.
7. Who wrote the music?
Frank Wildhorn wrote the score, with lyrics by Jack Murphy, additional lyrics by Morgan Reilly and a book by Ivan Menchell. The Barbican staging added new songs to the original score.
8. How long was the show?
Roughly two and a half hours, with one interval.
9. Did you need to know the manga to enjoy it?
No. Several critics said newcomers could follow it easily. Long-time fans noticed more of the cuts and changes to characters.
10. How was it different from the 2023 Palladium version?
The 2023 London Palladium shows were concert performances. The 2026 Barbican run was a full staging with a revised script, new songs, and a full set, lighting and video design.
11. What was the most praised part of the production?
Jon Bausor’s set design and the performances of Xander Pang and Colin Ryan came up again and again in reviews.
12. What is the easiest way to get to the Barbican for the 2027 run?
Barbican station is about a five-minute walk, with Moorgate and St Paul’s also close. For groups, late finishes or airport arrivals, a pre-booked private transfer to the Silk Street entrance is the simplest option.
