Death Note casts.

Death Note: The Musical has its leads — Xander Pang as Light, Colin Ryan as L.

Pang takes on Light Yagami, the high-school student whose discovery of a supernatural notebook turns him into the vigilante known as Kira. Ryan plays L, the genius detective racing to unmask him. The pairing kicks off the long-awaited world premiere of the full staging.

The production opens at London's Barbican Theatre on 30 July, running for 50 performances only through 12 September. Trafalgar Entertainment co-produce with original Japanese producers HoriPro.

Score by Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde, Bonnie & Clyde), lyrics by Jack Murphy and a book by Ivan Menchell, adapting Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata's blockbuster manga. Stephen Whitson directs, with design by Jon Bausor and choreography by Fabian Aloise.

Previous London outings of the Wildhorn score were concert-only — this is the first time the musical gets a full theatrical production in the West End.

Photo: Danny Kaan.