Gemma Arterton
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Bond Girl Gemma Arterton Laughs with Little Dog

Bond girl Gemma Arterton will star alongside Rupert Friend and Tamsin Greig in the UK premiere of Douglas Carter Beane’s Tony Award-winning Broadway comedy The Little Dog Laughed, which starts performances on 8 January 2010 at the West End’s Garrick Theatre (See News, 4 Sep 2009).

The Little Dog Laughed is a cautionary tale of Hollywood film actor Mitchell (Friend) who wants to come out of the closet, his agent Diane (Greig) who wants him to stay in it and the love triangle created when Mitch falls for rent boy Alex, who has a girlfriend named Ellen (Arterton).

Arterton is best known for her screen credits including playing <i>Tess of the D'Urbervilles</I> and being 007’s sexy sidekick in Quantum of Solace. Her other screen credits include The Boat That Rocked, Three & Out, Rock ‘n’ Rolla and St Trinian’s. The actress made her professional stage debut as Rosaline in the Globe’s 2007 production of Love’s Labour’s Lost. The Little Dog Laughed marks her West End debut.

The four-hander’s cast is completed by Harry Lloyd as rent boy Alex. Lloyd was seen in the West End earlier this year as Rodolpho in A View from the Bridge, alongside Ken Stott. His other credits include The Sea, Ghosts and A Gaggle of Saints on stage, and Doctor Who on screen.

The Little Dog Laughed opened Off-Broadway in January 2006 before transferring to Broadway later that year, when it was Tony nominated. The title refers to a short story written by the fictional character Arturo Bandini in John Fante’s 1930s Los Angeles-set novel Ask the Dust.

The UK premiere is directed by Jamie Lloyd, an associate director at the Donmar Warehouse whose other West End credits include Three Days of Rain, Piaf and the Pinter double bill of The Lover and The Collection.

Writer Beane's other credits including penning the book for the Broadway musical Xanadu. As The Little Dog Laughed has its London premiere, in New York in January, Beane’s new play Mr and Mrs Fitch opens at Second Stage Theater with John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle. The UK production of The Little Dog Laughed is presented by Creative Management and Productions (CMP).

- by Terri Paddock

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