The moral questions behind Death Note: The Musical

“Where is the justice
When the guilty all go free?
Why don’t we lock them up
And throw away the key?”

Thus begins the opening number of Japanese hit musical Death Note, and for the next two hours, questions of justice, utilitarianism, Machiavellianism, human nature, and self-sacrifice are explored via a catchy score, a high-tech Tokyo-influenced set and some powerhouse performances.

For those not familiar with the franchise, the popular Japanese Manga has spawned 37 anime episodes, various TV film-length versions, a Japanese language film, a Netflix adaptation and a musical – the UK version of which opened at London’s Barbican theatre in July.