Stage Play: Rupert Friend previews 'The Little Dog Laughed'

Rupert Friend just made his West End stage debut in the U.K. premiere of Douglas Carter Beane's 2006 play The Little Dog Laughed, which began one of its performances (preview) at the Garrick Theatre Jan. 9, 2010. The official opening will be on Jan. 20, for a season that is booking through April 10, 2010.

Here's more info on...

The Little Dog Laughed

Rupert Friend stars as Mitchell, a Hollywood film star actor whose sexuality becomes an issue when he falls for a male hustler. His powerhouse agent Diane will be played by Olivier Award-winning actress Tamsin Greig (which she won for her appearance as Beatrice in an RSC production of Much Ado About Nothing). Bond Girl and Lost In Austen (as Elizabeth Bennet) star also co-stars. The production will be directed by Jamie Lloyd and produced by Creative Management and Productions.

Ticket Prices:
Tickets from £15
Performances:
Until 10th Apr 2010
Book By Phone:
0844 579 1974

A video preview trailer featuring Rupert Friend for The Little Dog Laughed has been posted on the play's Facebook page. You can watch it here or watch it via YT video below...

[source: WestEndTheatre]

Promotional Photos

(click images to enlarge!)

[source: Gemma Arterton Online
| RF promo cast photo Little Dog Laughed on Facebook]

Speaking of Rupert on stage, his real-life girlfriend (and former P&P co-star)  Keira Knightley is currently and still performing on stage with The Misanthrope (it ends its run March 13th)...

Here are new pics of Rupert & Keira...

Keira Knightley & Rupert Friend Leaves J Sheekey Restaurant

Keira Knightley holds onto her boyfriend Rupert Friend while leaving J Sheekey restaurant in London (Jan. 10, 2010). Both Keira and Rupert are appearing in separate theater productions in the west end.

(click images to enlarge!)

(source: Photo by PacificCoastNews.com | zimbio.com)

 Also, check out more solo Keira photos as she leaves the Comedy Theatre where she wears... similar outfits and boots, but different scarf and purses...

•  Keira Knightley Leaves the Comedy Theatre and signs autographs (Jan. 11, 2010)
  
  Keira Knightley smiles for the camera as she leaves the Comedy Theatre
  (Jan. 3, 2010)
  
•  Keira Knightley outside Comedy Theatre in London's West End  (Dec. 18, 2009)
• Keira Knightley poses for photographs on her way out of the Comedy Theatre after her latest performance in "The Misanthrope" (Dec. 12, 2009)
• Keira Knightley in the West End (Dec. 4, 2009)

Updated 1/14/10

A night at the theatre

(Source: Photo by Bauer Griffin) 

Also, a couple and nice candid photos of Rupert & Keira...

  (source: optic | sweet-keira)

In addition...

Rupert's 'The Little Dog Laughed' co-star Gemma Arterton (who also played Elizabeth Bennet in Lost in Austen) had something nice to say about Keira...

Gemma Arterton: 'Keira Knightley is brave to face critics'

Gemma Arterton has heaped praise on fellow British actress Keira Knightley for continuing to accept roles amid harsh criticism from the press in her native U.K.

The former Bond girl insists she is judged unfairly because of her good looks - and admits she's in awe of Knightley for braving the media to star in a play in London's West End.

She says, "For some reason, if you're successful in Britain, people tend not to like you. But if you are a successful woman, and beautiful, in Britain, you are even more disliked.

"When you put yourself in these huge popcorn movies you get out there, in the public arena, more than anyone else. But that also means that you're out there to be criticized more than anyone else. With Keira Knightley, she's brave to do her play (The Misanthrope)."

Source: SFGate.com