‘Good Night, Oscar’ Review: Sean Hayes Gives a Bravura Performance as Late-Night TV Virtuoso
Christian Lewis Today’s audiences are unlikely to know the name Oscar Levant, the once-famed pianist, composer, comedian and actor at the center of Doug Wright’s new Broadway play “Good Night, Oscar.”Despite that, many aspects of the story, which takes place over the filming of a single episode of “The Tonight Show with Jack Paar”in 1958, might feel familiar: a high-stress taping of a late-night show, big celebrity personalities, exploitation in the name of good television. Any fan of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” will feel familiar with Paar and generally at home in this world. In some ways, “Good Night, Oscar”even feels like an episode of “Mrs. Maisel” — zany, fast-paced and smartly humorous, with references flying a mile a minute, some battle-of-the-sexes content, sumptuous dresses, well-tailored suits and occasional moments of sincere emotion. Instead of Midge, here we have Oscar, played by Sean Hayes, a one-man show in his own right.