Lead casting announced for 'Death Note: The Musical'

The musical is based on the manga created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata, and will feature 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.

Summary

• Death Note: The Musical has announced lead casting
• Xander Pang and Colin Ryan will star as the two brilliant minds locked in a psychological battle
• Performances begin at the Barbican on 30 July

Lead casting has been announced for Death Note: The Musical, which begins performances at the Barbican in London on 30 July.

Xander Pang (MacBeth, Beyond Paradise) will play the show's protagonist ‘Light’ and Colin Ryan (Hamlet, My Brilliant Friend, The Lightning Child) will star as mysterious consulting detective ‘L’.

The musical is based on the manga created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata, and will feature 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. The story has already appeared in London in a concert setting, but now it heads to the Barbican in a reimagined production.

Death Note tells the story of Light Yagami, a gifted high school student who one day discovers a mysterious notebook that includes the rule: “Any human whose name is written in this notebook will die in 40 seconds.” The notebook has been sent to the human world by the Shinigami Ryuk due to the boredom of his own realm. After the disillusioned Light tests the notebook’s power by triggering the death of a criminal live on television, he begins a string of deaths that are investigated by master detective L, locking the pair in a psychological battle.

Pang 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!”

Ryan added: “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 rest of the creative team includes director Stephen Whitson (Hamilton and Moulin Rouge! The Musical), designer Jon Bausor (Spirited Away, Bat Out of Hell) and choreography by Olivier Award nominee Fabian Aloise (Evita, Sunset Boulevard), with Jason Howland as orchestration and arranger, with additional lyrics by Morgan Reilly.

Book Death Note: The Musical tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: Colin Ryan and Xander Pang. (Photo by Danny Kaan)