{"id":1839,"date":"2026-08-17T14:11:45","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T14:11:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theatrebookings.com\/blog\/?p=1839"},"modified":"2026-08-17T14:11:46","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T14:11:46","slug":"death-note-review-round-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theatrebookings.com\/blog\/death-note-review-round-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Death Note Review Round Up"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Death Note<\/em> Reviews are in! Read on to find out what critics thought!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Death Note<\/em><\/a> officially opened this week, though the road to get here has been a long one! The original musical was written back in 2013 and premiered in Tokyo in Japanese. Over the next ten years it was adapted into Korean, Russian, and Portuguese. The first English language production came in the form of a concert staging held for two nights at the London Palladium in August 2022. This was followed by a three night run at the Lyric Theatre the following September. Finally, a fully realized English language version has debuted and is running until September 12th at the Barbican Centre.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Reviews are In:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Publication<\/td>Rating<\/td>The Key Takeaway<\/td><\/tr>
Radio Times<\/td>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/td>“isn\u2019t like anything I\u2019ve witnessed before…the best show I have seen in the last decade.”<\/td><\/tr>
Broadway World<\/td>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/td>“Diehard fans will love seeing the world brought to life with its stunning visuals and all-around formidable cast, while newcomers will quickly give themselves over to the thrilling melodrama.”<\/td><\/tr>
What’s On Stage<\/td>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/td>“the production values alone outstrip most current West End musicals, and the haunting, majestic pop score is surely enough to inspire repeat visits from fans.”<\/td><\/tr>
The Guardian<\/td>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/td>“a smart, metaphysical whodunnit \u2013 or perhaps, more accurately, howdunnit \u2013 with a nice line in emotional intensity cranked up by its power-ballad musical score.”<\/td><\/tr>
The Stage<\/td>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/td>“kinetically powerful and atmospheric”<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What is Death Note<\/a><\/em> About?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Death Note <\/em>is about a brilliant high school student, Light, who discovers a supernatural notebook. This notebook has the power to kill anyone whose name is written in it. Determined to reshape the world according to his own sense of justice, he begins secretly eliminating criminals. This draws the attention of a mysterious, world-class detective who becomes determined to unmask him. What follows is a tense, intellectual game of cat-and-mouse between two geniuses. Each one is convinced they’re in the right, as the show explores questions of justice, power, and the cost of playing god. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This show is a pop\/rock stage adaptation of the wildly popular manga and anime series of the same name by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. It has music by Frank Wildhorn (Bonnie & Clyde, Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel)<\/em>, lyrics by Jack Murphy (The Civil War, Wonderland, Rudolf: The Last Kiss<\/em>), and a book by Ivan Menchell (Bonnie & Clyde,<\/em> The Nanny, Phil of the Future<\/em>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is in Death Note<\/a><\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Heading the cast is Xander Pang as Light. WhatsOnStage calls him a “superb find,” with Radio Times describing his performance as “incredible” and “effortless.” Joining him in leading roles are Colin Ryan as L, the detective tasked with tracking Light down, and Stephanie Zaharis as Misa, a popstar who finds herself wrapped up in Light’s journey. All three leads have had stellar reviews; with The Guardian saying “all three performers attack their roles with grade-A gusto.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are joined by Telly Leun as Ryuk, Grace Mouat as Rem, Paolo Montalban as Soichiro, Chloe Saracco as Gelus, and Elsie Buckley as Sayu. The ensemble is made up of Louise Liluna Browning, Aoife Haakenson, Samantha Ho, Katie Ka Lay Ho, Olivia Hazel Jones, Matthew Koon, Abel Law, Luchia Moss, Patrick Munday, Richie Paisley, Regine Phua, Nicky Wong Rush, and Ernest Stroud. Nicole Carlisle, Renz Cardenas, David Ouch, and Sian Yeo are the show’s swings, with Yeo also serving as Dance Captain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do I get cheap tickets for Death Note<\/a><\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can buy them with Theatre Bookings online by clicking here<\/a>. However, for the best prices call us on 0207 087 2999 or visit us in person on the same week that you wish to see the show.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Death Note Reviews are in! Read on to find out what critics thought! Death Note officially opened this week, though the road to get here has been a long one! The original musical was written back in 2013 and premiered in Tokyo in Japanese. Over the next ten years it was adapted into Korean, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1845,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[46,39,22,50],"yoast_head":"\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\r\n