Death Note musical announces initial casting for UK premiere

Xander Pang and Colin Ryan will lead the new London production of Death Note: The Musical.

The show will open at the Barbican Theatre on 30 July 2026, with performances continuing until 12 September.

The story follows Light Yagami as he begins using the Death Note to kill criminals after becoming disillusioned with the justice system. As deaths increase around the world and the mysterious figure known as “Kira” gains supporters, the authorities enlist L to uncover the killer’s identity, leading to a psychological confrontation between the pair.

Pang will play Light Yagami, commenting today: “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!”

Ryan will play the detective L, Light’s elusive adversary, adding: “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.”

The musical features music by Frank Wildhorn, lyrics by Jack Murphy and a book by Ivan Menchell. This new staging will include a revised script and additional songs alongside the original score.

Presented by HoriPro and Trafalgar Theatre Productions in association with the Barbican Centre, the production is based on the bestselling manga series by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.

Originally produced by HoriPro in 2015, Death Note: The Musical has previously been staged across Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, and was presented in concert form at The London Palladium in 2023.

The creative team for the London production includes director Stephen Whitson, choreographer Fabian Aloise, designer Jon Bausor and orchestrator and arranger Jason Howland, with additional lyrics by Morgan Reilly.