The hilarity of Hollywood hypocrisy and what self-deception does to people in the shallow and superficial world of show business is satirized in THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED, a Tony Award nominated comedy of manners directed by Jamie Lloyd, starring Tamsin Greig, Rupert Friend, Gemma Arterton and Harry Lloyd, which begins previews at the Garrick Theatre on January 8th, 2010.

THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED, by Douglas Carter Beane, is the cautionary tale of a handsome film actor (Rupert Friend) who dares to try to come out of the closet, his tough, ballsy agent (Tamsin Greig) who wants him to stay in it and the love triangle created when the actor falls for a rent boy (Harry Lloyd) who happens to have a girlfriend (Gemma Arterton).

One of the stars of the show is Rupert Friend, who made his film debut in The Libertine, for which he was nominated Most Promising Newcomer at the 2005 British Independent Film Awards and was named Outstanding New Talent at the Satellite Awards the same year. His subsequent film credits include Pride and Prejudice directed by Joe Wright, Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont directed by Dan Ireland, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas directed by Mark Herman, The Young Victoria directed by Jean-Marc Vallee and Cherie directed by Stephen Frears. In 2008 he and a Webber Douglas contemporary, Tom Mison, wrote and starred in short The Continuing and Lamentable Saga of the Suicide Brothers. The film, which was produced to promote fashion line Poltock & Walsh, had its premiere screening in London in June 2009 and will be screened at the London Film Festival in October 2010.

He stars in the forthcoming films The Kid, based on the novel by Kevin Lewis, directed by Nick Moran and Lullaby Fo PI, directed by Benoit Philippon.

TICKET OFFER: Save £12 on tickets to see The Little Dog Laughed at the Garrick Theatre in London.

Hollywood heart-throb Rupert Friend will star in new Tony award-winning comedy The Little Dog Laughed, at the Garrick Theatre in London from 8 January 2010. He will be joined by film and TV stars Gemma Arterton and Tamsin Grieg.

The play by Douglas Carter Beane is about Hollywood film actor Mitch, played by Friend, who is determined to come out of the closet against the wishes of his lean, mean, brash and crass agent (Greig). A love triangle ensues when Mitch falls for a rent boy who has a girlfriend (Arterton).

Gemma Arterton makes her West End stage debut in the play after a heady few years of high-profile film and TV parts including Quantum of Solace, The Boat That Rocked and St Trinian’s.

Rupert Friend has also become one of the UK’s highest profile young stars with a number of choice film roles including The Young Victoria and Cheri.

Tamsin Grieg is best known for TV comedies Green Wing and Love Soup, and has also appeared in numerous film, TV and stage roles.

The play opened in January 2006 off-Broadway and the UK premiere will be directed by Jamie Lloyd, who is experienced at star vehicles having recently directed James McAvoy in Three Days of Rain.

The New York Times said of the comedy that it’s, “the tastiest homegrown comedy of manners to hit New York since, well, Mr. Beane’s “As Bees in Honey Drown.”

SPECIAL OFFER: Save £12 on tickets to The Little Dog Laughed at the Garrick Theatre London (valid Monday to Thursdays until 21 January)