Two very different shows currently have London critics talking! At the Old Vic, Alan Ayckbourn's How The Other Half Loves brings three couples, two homes and an ever-growing collection of lies together in a gloriously chaotic comedy.

Meanwhile, Death Note: The Musical brings the bestselling Japanese manga to London for its world premiere, turning its battle of morality, power and intelligence into an electrifying new musical, marking a major new chapter for a manga series that has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, with a score by Tony, Grammy and Emmy nominee Frank Wildhorn.

So, what have the critics made of these two new shows?

DEATH NOTE TICKETS 

HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES TICKETS

How the Other Half Loves Critic Reviews

"In reply, Dorothy Atkinson's Fiona simmers with boredom, Ayesha Antoine's Terry is constantly on edge and Laura Elsworthy's agonisingly awkward Mary draws cheers when she finally turns the tables on her dominating husband. Better than nothing? Perhaps. But Ayckbourn suggests that there is work to do. Fifty years on, for all its period accuracy, How the Other Half Loves still resonates."
- Financial Times

"If laughter is the best medicine, how wonderful that Old Vic audiences are now getting a welcome dose of the 1969 farce How the Other Half Loves, last seen on a London stage 10 years ago. As well as being utterly hilarious and at times shockingly painful, this early work which clinched the success of untiring stalwart Alan Ayckbourn (the 87-year-old has written 92 full-length plays to date) remains in robustly good health"
- London Theatre

"The writing is great, the team effort in making the play work is admirable, and you have standout performances from Allam and Gillen. You can even excuse the threats of domestic violence against poor Mary, Frank believing that acrimony in a marriage is better than nothing', and how the supposedly radical Terry puts up with philanderer Bob."
- South London

"Alan Ayckbourn is an often-underrated comic genius. Director Phillip Breen, in a programme interview, says: "At his best he is the English Chekhov, writing about the deep pain of ordinary people." Ayckbourn, now 87 years old, has written 92 full-length plays, of which How the Other Half Loves was the ninth. It came two years after another witty standout comedy-of-married-manners, Relatively Speaking, his first big West End hit, and showed the playwright's skill with pioneering theatrical form and overlapping timelines. Earlier this year, Ayckbourn's dream-like 1985 play Woman in Mind was stylishly revived in the West End. If these joyous-yet-painful productions are anything to go by, his crowd-pleasing work will live on in theatres for many decades to come."
- The Reviews Hub

"The suburban romp of envy and infidelity in two different homes comes bouncing back to life with a fizzing cast led by Roger Allam."
- The Guardian

Death Note Critic Reviews

"Wildly popular manga mystery is a killer night out. The multi-platform phenomenon makes its way to the stage, with all the supernatural hijinks, J-horror tropes and emotional intensity intact"
- The Guardian

"The visuals, however, are knockout. Colin Ryan's L most closely resembles his original manga character, with wide eyes as big as saucers, wild hair, and hunched posture, often crouching (he explains that he loses 40% of his deductive reasoning if he sits normally). He brings unsettling intensity to L from the very beginning, as Fabian Aloise's tightly choreographed ensemble body pop in hoodies in the thrilling number "The Game Begins", but stylistically his characterisation departs from the rest of the cast."
- Londontheatre.co.uk

"Whether fans of the original Death Note will be happy with some of the cuts and changes to fit the story into a two-act musical structure, there is no denying that the result is a taut, compelling tale that is accessible to anyone unfamiliar with the source material. Utilising the Barbican Theatre's stage to its fullest extent, this is a musical that earns the hype."
- Musical Theatre Review

"This is a stunning adaptation of Death Note which will write its way into the history books. This short six-week run at the Barbican is the first of, hopefully, many revivals of this show. Death Note is triumphant, exhilarating and a pure shot of adrenaline from start to end. If you enjoy a magnificent cast, a phenomenal adaptation, brilliant sets and a stunning night out, then this is the perfect show for you this summer."
- Theatre And Tonic

"For a story and show of such passion and depth, with enough energising bops and outfits to make Lady Gaga and HUNTR/X weep, you wonder if something other than abject nihility could be mined from the ending. That said, we're sure we'll remember it forever... long after the saccharine conclusions of various West End crowdpleasers have died from our memories."
- Attitude