The Little Dog Laughed

Douglas Carter Beane's comedy of manners The Little Dog Laughed in London starring Tamsin Greig and Rupert Friend.

The Little Dog Laughed follows the adventures of Mitchell Green, a movie star who could make it big if it weren't for one small problem - his hard-driving agent, Diane, can't seem to keep him in the closet.

"Comic acting at its finest... brilliantly delivered, wickedly funny speeches... comic delight"
The Daily Telegraph

The hilarity of Hollywood hypocrisy and what self-deception does to people in the shallow and superficial world of show business is satirized in Douglas Carter Beane's The Little Dog Laughed. The play enjoyed a three month run on Broadway at the end of 2006 and was nominated for 'Best Play' at the Tony Awards.

"Douglas Carter Beane's ferociously funny play" Sunday Express

The cast for The Little Dog Laughed in London features Tamsin Greig as 'Diane', Rupert Friend as 'Mitchell', Harry Lloyd as 'Alex' and Gemma Arterton as 'Ellen. The production is directed by Jamie Lloyd.

Please Note: Not recommend for children under the age of 15 years

"Tart, smart and on the money... terrific" The Daily Telegraph

"It's a funny old world, is it not, when it is easier for a politician to come out of the closet than it is for a film star? Douglas Carter Beane's zippily written, feather-light comedy of Hollywood's hypocritical values, The Little Dog Laughed, is all about image management... As satire goes, this one licks Hollywood like a chihuahua rather than snapping at it like a terrier. Indeed, the roles of Mitchell, Alex and Ellen are so sketchy that it is effectively a one-woman show. Still, Tamsin Greig holds court magnificently as the shamelessly manipulative Diane, who talks to the audience as if we are her most intimate, sophisticated friends. She looks fantastic, perched on vertiginous heels and striding around in high-waisted trousers and satin blouses." The Mail on Sunday

"Tamsin Greig shines... diabolically funny" The Guardian

"The Little Dog Laughed takes aim at a movie industry which insists that its stars should not be gay. Douglas Carter Beane's comedy is skinnily plotted but nattily written, and Jamie Lloyd's production swishes along short scenes and bright lights in a white box with a light-on-its-feet cast... Tamsin Greig powers the evening, treating the audience as if it were a collection of recalcitrant clients. She winks and snaps at the stalls; she unfurls herself like an elegant cobra; she raises an eyebrow at her own performance in ironic surprise." The Observer

"A gloriously modern piece of cynically spun sugar... brilliant" Daily Express

"Penned by the fast-rising writer Douglas Carter Beane, this is a contemporary comedy of manners which lampoons the hypocritically homophobic and image-manipulating movie industry, while secreting a tender gay love story at its heart... To call The Little Dog Laughed a biting satire would be extravagant but Carter Beane certainly isn't afraid to nip the hand of the entertainment industry that feeds him. Showbiz machinations are an easy and familiar target, the mock-happy ending shallows out any profound sense of loss... Harry Lloyd and Rupert Friend are both droll and touchingly passionate... And Tasmin Greig is absolutely storming, combining deadpan sardonic digs and flamboyant swish." The Independent on Sunday

"Tamsin Greig is magnificent" Financial Times

"Well received on Broadway, where it was nominated for a Tony award, Douglas Carter Beane's play is a kind of Hollywood sex comedy... As satire, The Little Dog Laughed is toothless, and as a love story, it is utterly unengaging. Jamie Lloyd's direction is dull except when it's being contrived, and the set is tedious and repetitive. Thank God for Tamsin Greig, without whom this would have been one long, po-faced yawn. As Diane, the loud, hardass, domineering Jewish lesbian, she has all the best lines, superbly delivered. The one bright spark in this leaden work, even she can't set it on fire, but she's some consolation." The Sunday Times

Little Dog Laughed in London at the Garrick Theatre previewed from 8 January 2010, opened on 20 January 2010 and closes on 10 April 2010.