Tuesday, 16 February 2010

The Little Dog Laughed *** TNT

Douglas Carter Beane’s Broadway success takes a comic look at the Hollywood film industry - how deals are brokered, and how unconventional sexuality is kept in the closet for fear of ruining a promising career.

A shark in designer clothes, Tamsin Greig’s lesbian agent Diane is brash, forceful and (in small doses) aggressively funny as she promotes rising star Mitchell (Rupert Friend).

Harry Lloyd convinces as sexually ambivalent rent boy, Alex, who only sleeps with men for money but falls for Mitchell all the same. And former Bond girl Gemma Arterton passes the time shopping whilst she waits for Alex to return to her bed.

There’s a generous smattering of killer wisecracks, but also too many dud jokes in what proves to be a rather laboured satire of Tinseltown hypocrisy.

Garrick, Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0HH (0844 412 4662) ambassadortickets.com/london till 10th April (£25 - £47) (Weds matinees £20 -£35)

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