It’s been difficult not to notice the rising popularity of Death Note – originally a manga series published over 20 years ago (written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata), it has subsequently become an anime TV series, several films, novels, and most recently a video game. We’ll confess, however, that this stage adaptation is our first foray into this fantastical world.

For the uninitiated, like us, this tale takes place in Tokyo against a backdrop of rising crime, with one vigilante seeking to restore justice in a legal system that is failing its victims. It is heavily inspired by Japanese folklore, particularly beings known as Shinigami (which translates as a ‘god of death’).

We’ll say right away that it’s a brilliant, and hugely compelling, concept for a story. The Shinigami we are initially introduced to is named Ryuk (Broadway star Telly Leung) who is in possession of a little black notebook – known as a ‘Death Note’ – in which he writes the names of the people that he will bring death to that day. He seems to find his role somewhat monotonous and one day, out of boredom, he drops his notebook down into the human world. The book is discovered by promising young student Light (Xander Pang); we then spend a couple of hours watching what unfolds when Light realises he has the power to play god.