The Little Dog Laughed has moved to Broadway, and now that it is $96 a seat, I have to re-evaluate my earlier review when it was Off-Broadway. Then, I started with: Douglas Carter Bean is a smart writer with a sharp sense of humor; he's able to throw in jokes, quips and references that ring so true or familiar we can't help laughing. Some of this shows in The Little Dog Laughed. It's about a killer female Hollywood agent, a confused guy who is a movie star, his new boyfriend who is a prostitute, and the prostitute's sort-of girlfriend. Most of the funny lines about Hollywood, about gays, and about relationships go to the agent, played brashly with zest, zip, energy and perfect timing by Julie White.
My thoughts now: ultimately, the play is a well-done sitcom, some of it offering only mildly amusing comments on life as we wait for the comic passages. This is not a show for people with a high-intellect count, although there are very clever lines. As a play on Broadway it's trivia and good low-level comedy. The audience has fun because it's the humor they're used to on TV. If a sitcom with a gay sensibility is your cup of comedy, you'll have a great time. But this is no Joe Orton or History Boys.
Director Scott Ellis has timed Dog quite well on Allen Moyer's slick set so that it doesn't quit trying to entertain. Ms. White got cheers after her Act Two monologue and a standing ovation at the end.
