BWW REVIEWS: THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED, The Garrick Theatre

The Little Dog Laughed had a hugely successful run on Broadway in 2006, so with the addition of one of Britain's favourite female comedians and some tabloid-friendly rising stars, it's no surprise that it's already proving a huge hit with UK audiences.

There was no weak link in the cast, with all four managing to make their character seem interesting and likeable. In particular, Tamsin Grieg is fabulously ruthless as Diane, agent to closeted Hollywood star Mitchell Green (Rupert Friend). The storyline centres upon Mitchell's relationship with a New York rent boy called Alex (Harry Lloyd), with both men coming to terms with their sexuality. When off-duty, Alex is straight and even has a girlfriend, which is where the beautiful Gemma Arterton comes into the frame, playing the part of Ellen. All four are drawn together by a problem which could have disastrous effects on each of their lives, and it's down to queen schemer Diane to save the day.

The play is extremely self-aware, with moments of self-reference providing some of the biggest laughs. Grieg certainly has the best lines and delivers them with a glance to the audience which shows she is well aware of how ridiculous her character is. Some may dislike this breaking of the fourth wall, but it seemed those people were in the minority last night as the audience were definitely laughing with Grieg more than at her. She also glams up magnificently, but brings her own personality to the Hollywood hotshot role, only playing to stereotypes to keep the giggles flowing. My only complaint would be regarding her accent, which travels around the United States at breakneck speed, even taking the odd detour home to England! This made it difficult to think of the character as Diane, rather than as Tamsin Grieg playing a character called Diane, but the enjoyability of the play as a whole made this issue seem irrelevant.

Also taking to their roles extremely well were Friend and Lloyd. Their characters came across as realistic and non-sterotypical gay men, and their relationship was believable, despite being set in very unusual circumstances. Their moments of passion didn't seem quite as lustful as they were clearly meant to be, but gay men in the audience are unlikely to complain, as this was made up for with some tasteful nudity from both male actors. Aside from that, their storyline was genuinely moving and both characters make interesting journeys of self-discovery during the play. Arterton is slightly less engaging in her role, but still manages to portray Ellen as much more than just 'the girlfriend'. Ellen's unconventional approach to relationships makes her a sympathetic as well as intriguing character, and Arterton gives her a quirky edge which is unexpected from a former Bond girl.

When a play has had such unanimously positive responses as The Little Dog Laughed has so far received, it's difficult not to enter the theatre with high expectations, but it's unlikely that anyone would have been disappointed by this performance. Ticket prices are a little steep, but if you want to see what everyone's raving about, it would be advisable to book soon as there wasn't an empty seat to be seen at The Garrick last night. With glowing reviews flooding in, that's likely to continue for much of the show's three-month run.

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