PRODUCTION NEWS
The latest news from our production teams
WORLD PREMIERE OF THE BRAND-NEW PRODUCTION OF DEATH NOTE: THE MUSICAL
The worldwide phenomenon DEATH NOTE: THE MUSICAL, comes to the Barbican Theatre this summer in a world premiere of a brand-new production, featuring a revised script and newly written songs alongside the original acclaimed score. Following 10 years of acclaimed sold-out productions across Asia and record-breaking concerts at the London Palladium, this much-anticipated reimagined production will open on 30 July for a limited six-week season.
Based on the international best-selling Japanese manga of the same name by Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata and Shueisha, this award-winning musical (Best Musical, Korea Musical Awards) features a score by Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award nominated composer Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde, Bonnie & Clyde and the Whitney Houston hit “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”) and lyrics by Tony Award-nominated Jack Murphy and book by Emmy-nominated Ivan Menchell.
Alongside Wildhorn, this new production brings together an acclaimed creative team behind some of the West End’s biggest hits, including director Stephen Whitson (Hamilton UK and Moulin Rouge! UK), Emmy-nominated designer Jon Bausor (Spirited Away, Bat Out of Hell) and choreography by Olivier Award nominated Fabian Aloise (Evita at the London Palladium and Sunset Boulevard at The Savoy) alongside Jason Howland as orchestration and arranger, with additional lyrics by Morgan Reilly. Together, this creative team will bring scale, theatrical power, and contemporary energy to the world of Death Note. Casting will be announced soon.
Howard said: “Our partnership with HoriPro spans more than three decades, and it is a pleasure to work with them to bring this global phenomenon to the London stage for the first time. Following our recent successful summer seasons at the Barbican, we know it is a theatre that demands work of scale and ambition. With Frank Wildhorn’s electrifying score and this exceptional new creative team, we are creating a production that will truly be a landmark, once in a lifetime event.”
One of the world’s most successful manga titles, Death Note has sold over 30 million copies worldwide and grown into a global cultural phenomenon spanning feature animation, films, television adaptations, and an acclaimed Netflix series. Death Note was last seen in London at the Palladium in 2023 for a series of sold-out record-breaking concerts. Now the evolution of this internationally celebrated story continues on the London stage. Rooted in the acclaimed original, this reimagining for the West End (and a planned Broadway run) is the definitive theatrical incarnation of this unique story.
Death Note tells the story of Light Yagami, an exceptionally gifted high school student who one day discovers a mysterious notebook bearing a chilling rule: “Any human whose name is written in this notebook will die in 40 seconds.” The notebook, known as the Death Note, has been dropped into the human world out of boredom by the Shinigami Ryuk. Disillusioned by a justice system he believes fails to punish criminals, Light tests the notebook’s power triggering the sudden death of a criminal live on television.
Convinced he has been chosen to become the “god of a new world,” Light begins using the Death Note to eliminate criminals across the globe. As unexplained deaths mount, the public coins the name “Kira” for the unseen killer, with supporters praising his actions as crime rates plummet. With no physical evidence to follow, the authorities turn to the enigmatic master detective L, setting the stage for a gripping psychological battle between two brilliant minds.
GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR NOMINATED FOR TWO OLIVIER AWARDS
Trafalgar’s production of Good Night, Oscar which played at the Barbican Theatre in summer 2025, has received two nominations for the Olivier Awards 2026.
The first of those nominations is for Chris Fenwick (Musical Supervision & Arrangements) and Sean Hayes (Live Piano Performance of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue) in the category of Outstanding Musical Contribution.
Emmy and Tony Award-winner Sean Hayes, who made his West End debut to reprise his much-lauded Tony Award-winning performance of Hollywood actor and concert pianist, Oscar Levant in Good Night, Oscar is also nominated for Best Actor at this year’s awards.
Presented by the Society of London Theatre, in association with Cunard, the 50th Anniversary Olivier Awards take place on Sunday 12 April at the Royal Albert Hall. The ceremony will be presented by Nick Mohammed and broadcast on the BBC.
NEW TRAILERS RELEASED FOR TRAFALGAR SHOWS
Check out our brand-new trailers for Double Indemnity, Shadowlands, and The Ballad of Johnny & June!
MYRA’S STORY RETURNS TO TRAFALGAR THEATRE FOR POWERFUL LIMITED RUN
The raw, funny, and deeply moving one-woman play, Myra’s Story, returns to Trafalgar Theatre next month for a strictly limited engagement, shining a human light on homelessness, addiction, and the fragile line between stability and survival.
Written and directed by Brian Foster, and performed by IFTA nominee Fíonna Hewitt-Twamley, this critically acclaimed solo show will play for just four performances on 12 April and 19 April (2pm and 6pm).
Myra’s Story follows one woman’s journey from an ordinary domestic life to the harsh realities of homelessness and alcoholism. We meet Myra as she wakes in a shelter before heading back onto the streets, searching for her “medicine”—the alcohol that numbs her pain.
As she shares her story, audiences are taken back through her life: from first love at sixteen, through friendships, relationships, heartbreak, and devastating loss. With extraordinary skill, Hewitt-Twamley brings 16 distinct characters to life, building a vivid world around Myra before returning us to her present reality—isolated, vulnerable, and surviving day by day.
Producer Amber Allen said: “This is a story that should resonate with everyone. Myra’s life is shaped by a series of small moments—things that could happen to any of us. It’s a reminder that the people we see on the street are not invisible; they are human beings with stories, histories, and voices that deserve to be heard.”
IMAGINE THEATRE MARKS NEURODIVERSITY WEEK WITH BONUS PODCAST
Episode 125a of the Just Imagine podcast from Imagine Theatre is out now! This bonus episode has been released to mark Neurodiversity Celebration Week. In this special conversation, Martin Ballard chats with actor and director Jason Marc-Williams about neurodiversity, his own lived experience, and how the theatre industry can evolve to better support neurodivergent individuals so their creativity can truly thrive.
The episode also features a contribution from Molly Grace Cutler, adding another perspective to the conversation.
Together they explore the importance of understanding different ways of thinking, the barriers that can exist within creative industries, and the positive steps that theatre makers and organisations can take to create more inclusive environments.
This bonus episode celebrates the strengths, perspectives and creativity of neurodivergent people and highlights why conversations like this are so important across the arts.
To learn more about the initiative and the work being done to raise awareness and challenge misconceptions, visit www.neurodiversityweek.com
