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This production is recommended for ages 12+.
Performance dates
31 July - 21 September 2025
Run time: 1hr 40mins. Latecomers may not be admitted
No interval
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Step into the dazzling world of live 1950s television – and witness Hollywood’s first celebrity meltdown, played to perfection.
Good Night Oscar - A New Play - Doug Wright and Lisa Peterson Emmy and Tony Award-winner Sean Hayes (Will & Grace) brings his acclaimed, Tony Award-winning performance to the Barbican this Summer in Good Night, Oscar – direct from a critically acclaimed Broadway season.
It’s 1958, and Jack Paar hosts the hottest late-night talk-show on television. His favourite guest? Character actor, pianist, and 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 he appears live on national TV in an episode that Paar’s audience—and the rest of America—won’t soon forget.
Full of humour, with an unmissable, virtuosic performance from Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar masterfully explores fame, artistry, and the fragility of genius. This strictly limited one time seven-week summer season at the Barbican will sell out quickly – advance booking is strongly advised.
Upcoming Performance Times
Content
This production contains adult topics, including depictions of mental health conditions, prescribed drug abuse, strong language and the use of fake cigarettes.Special notes
Latecomers may not be admitted
Access
BSL Performance: 23 August 2025 at 14:30. Captioned Performance: 27 August 2025 at 19:00. Audio Described: 5 September 2025 at 19:00.Latest Good Night, Oscar News
News / Casting / New Shows + Transfers
Rosalie Craig joins West End cast of Good Night, Oscar
Olivier nominee Rosalie Craig is the latest star to say Hello to Good Night, Oscar. She'll join the previously announced Sean Hayes (Will & Grace) and Ben Rappaport (The Good Wife) in the West End transfer of the critically acclaimed play. Running at the Barbican from 31 July to 21 September 2025.
Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Doug Wright, Good Night, Oscar transports audiences to a 1958 episode of Jack Paar’s late-night talk show, where the unpredictable and brilliant Oscar Levant - played by Hayes - takes centre stage in his Tony Award-winning role. The play delves into Levant's razor-sharp wit, his struggles with mental health, and the fine line between genius and madness.
6 May, 2025 | By Sian McBride
Celebrities / Casting / New Shows + Transfers
Who will be joining Sean Hayes in Good Night, Oscar?
As previously announced, Sean Hayes will make his West End debut at the Barbican Theatre in Good Night, Oscar, reprising the role of Oscar Levant - a turn that earned him his first Tony Award in 2023.
Written by Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright and directed by Lisa Peterson (F*ck7thGrade), Good Night, Oscar is set in 1958 and explores one unforgettable night on a late-night talk show. At the center of the drama is the brilliant, eccentric, and often volatile Oscar Levant.
It won’t only be Hayes making the leap across the pond. Ben Rappaport, who played the legendary talk show host Jack Paar on Broadway will also be treading the boards at the Barbican. Reflecting on his return to the role, Rappaport said, “Returning to Good Night, Oscar and stepping back into this world alongside Sean is an absolute gift. The chance to share this story with London audiences at the Barbican this summer is going to be very exciting.”
24 Apr, 2025 | By Sian McBride