EMMY AND TONY AWARD-WINNER
SEAN HAYES
BRINGS HIS TONY-AWARD WINNING PERFORMANCE TO LONDON
GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR
THE SMASH HIT PLAY TRANSFERS FROM BROADWAY
TO LONDON’S BARBICAN THEATRE
ONE TIME ONLY SEVEN WEEK SEASON FROM 31 JULY
GENERAL ON SALE FROM THURSDAY 6 FEBRUARY* AT 10.00AM
FROM GOODNIGHTOSCAR.COM
Emmy and Tony Award-winner Sean Hayes (Will & Grace) will reprise his much-lauded Tony Award-winning performance in Good Night, Oscar at the Barbican Theatre this summer. Direct from a critically acclaimed Broadway run, this strictly limited seven-week season runs from 31 July until 21 September. Tickets will go on general sale at 10.00am on Thursday 6 February from GoodNightOscar.com.
Sean Hayes will make his West End debut in this new play by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Doug Wright, playing Oscar Levant: Hollywood actor, concert pianist, and the most subversive wit ever to appear on television during its Golden Age.
It’s 1958, and Jack Paar hosts the hottest late-night talk-show on television. His favourite guest? Wild card Oscar Levant. Famous for his witty one-liners, Oscar has a favourite: “There’s a fine line between genius and insanity; I have erased this line.” Tonight, Oscar will prove just that, when heappears live on national TV in an episode that Paar’s audience – and the rest of America – won’t soon forget.
Sean Hayes said: “It’s thrilling to be making my West End debut at the Barbican this summer with Good Night, Oscar. I’m eager to introduce one of the all-time greats, Oscar Levant, to the UK. The response we received on Broadway was incredible and I’m hoping British audiences will appreciate the history of this fascinating man – a multi-faceted pioneer, from concert pianist to infamous raconteur. It’s an honour to bring this production to London.”
Writer Doug Wright said: “Good Night, Oscar was one of my very happiest Broadway experiences, and a richly satisfying collaboration with the celebrated Sean Hayes and our director Lisa Peterson. I can’t wait to introduce the irascible, indefatigable whirlwind that was Oscar Levant to London audiences. He’d be thrilled to play the Barbican, even posthumously.”
Producer Howard Panter said: “We are delighted to be bringing Good Night, Oscar to the Barbican this summer. Following the huge success of our previous summer productions, including Anything Goes, A Strange Loop and Kiss Me, Kate, the Barbican summer has become a highly anticipated fixture in London’s theatrical calendar. With the addition of Good Night, Oscar alongside our recently announced Fiddler on the Roof, this season once again promises world-class storytelling and unforgettable performances.”
Toni Racklin, Barbican Head of Theatre & Dance, says: “We are delighted that major Broadway hit, Good Night, Oscar, will be part of the Barbican’s summer season this year, led by its Tony Award-winning star, Sean Hayes. Along with the transfer of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s glorious production of Fiddler on the Roof, we are thrilled to offer this terrific double bill of theatrical magic to our audiences, brought to our stage by our partners Trafalgar Theatre Productions.”
Full of humour, with an unmissable, virtuosic performance from Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar is directed by Lisa Peterson and masterfully explores fame, artistry, and the fragility of genius. Further casting will be announced soon.
Hayes is currently filming The Running Man for Paramount and will begin production on Is This Thing On, directed by Bradley Cooper, later this year.
BARBICAN LISTINGS INFORMATION
Barbican Theatre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS
First Performance: 31 July 2025
Final performance: 21 September 2025
Performance times: Wednesday – Saturday at 7pm, Thursday and Saturday at 2.30pm,
Sunday at 3pm. Additional performance Tuesday 5 August at 7pm
Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes (no interval)
Age guidance: 12+
*Tickets on sale as follows:
Monday 3 February at 10am: Barbican Premier, Principal and Director’s Circle Patrons
Tuesday 4 February at 10am: Barbican Patrons
Wednesday 5 February: Barbican Members
Thursday 6 February at 10am: General Public on-sale
Access Performances:
BSL Interpreted: Saturday 23 August, 2.30pm
Audio Described: Friday 5 September, 7pm
Captioned: Wednesday 27 August, 7pm
Tickets from £25 (plus booking fee) Barbican Box Office: Barbican.org.uk or 020 7870 2500
(Telephone lines open Monday to Friday, 12.00 – 5.30pm)
Social Media:
Website: GoodNightOscar.com
X: Goodnightoscar
Facebook: Goodnightoscar
Instagram: Goodnightoscar
Presented in association with the Barbican