Death Note:The Musical Review

The show is spoken and sung in English, so it very accessible to London audiences. The songs are catchy, but quite a standard musical affair. The first song, "Where is the Justice?" sets the tone for the show. "The Game Begins" introduces us to L.

Photo Credit: Manuel Harlan

The cast are well chosen and all the performances are solid. Telly Leung understands that Ryuk's motivation is just to be entertained with a Death Note. Colin Ryan really steals the show as L, capturing the mannerisms of the greatest detective in their world. The ensemble cast are used to full effect, as extras in background scenes, high energy dancers in others, crowds and so on.

One of the visual treats of the show is the high energy dance routines and sophisticated choreography. Olivier award-winning Choreographer Fabian Aloise wanted to "embody how manga could move if it moved off the page". There are also some very clever choreographic techniques, which we won't mention here, so we don't spoil the treat for anyone who sees the show.

When we first heard about the production we were curious how they would tackle the Shinigami costumes. We wondered if Ryuk would be a puppet or someone in heavy makeup and prosthetics. Costume designer Sachiko Nakahara has done a great job with the Shinigami look; making them fantastic and otherworldly. Each Shinigami had their own unique style, with stunning period inspired costumes embellished with skeletal motifs, along with elaborate makeup and hair.

The set works with a revolving stage, with elements spinning in and out. A big platform occasionally came down to represent the other world of the Death gods and other locations. There was clever use of forced perspective.

Photo Credit: Manuel Harlan

The story has been condensed in a way that keeps the most important elements. It can be a challenge to tell a 12 volume manga in 2 and a half hours, but the cut down version removes some of the more convoluted elements. The focus is just on the first story arch and with any unnecessary detail left out. For example they don't explain ALL the rules of the Death Note, just enough for the story and to understand its limitations. This keeps the story well paced, but also accessible to those who have not encountered the manga or anime.
Misa-Misa is given more time in this adaption. Instead of being a model and actress she's a pop star and loses the Goth aesthetic from the manga. We think that giving Misa more time makes a more balanced story, giving a counter-balance to the darker, narcissistic side of Light.

In the past we've seen various adaptations of anime and manga that didn't capture the essence of the source material. This is not an issue with this adaption which has been crafted with love and passion for the original source material, which you can see from lots of little details they've kept in. Everyone is going all out in this production and it does show.

If you like Death Note, you'll enjoy this (we did), while it also remains accessible to people who aren't familiar with the world of Death Note and the moral implications it explores.