Will & Grace favourite, Sean Hayes, is set to reprise his Tony Award-winning performance in Good Night, Oscar at London’s Barbican Theatre this summer.
The actor, best known for playing Jack McFarland in the NBC sitcom, will come to London direct from a critically acclaimed Broadway run, for a strictly limited seven-week season that will run from 31 July until 21 September, with tickets going on general sale on Thursday 6 February from GoodNightOscar.com.
The transfer will see Hayes make his West End debut in the new play by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Doug Wright as Oscar Levant; Hollywood actor, concert pianist, and the most subversive wit ever to appear on television during its Golden Age. Directed by Lisa Peterson the piece masterfully explores fame, artistry, and the fragility of genius.
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 he appears live on national TV in an episode that Paar’s audience – and the rest of America – won’t soon forget.
Hayes says, “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 adds, “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 admits he is 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.”
