The cast of ‘The Little Dog Laughed’ at Uptown Players. (Courtesy photo)
Coming off a strong season that brought audiences the heartfelt Torch Song Trilogy and the vivacious Kinky Boots, Uptown Players’ season ender The Little Dog Laughed lost some of that wonderful momentum. The show opened last Friday for a limited engagement at the Kalita Humphreys. The play and season wrap up on Sunday.
In Douglas Carter Beane’s dramedy, the story centers on a cast of four led by closeted B-list movie star Mitchell (Kevin Moore) trying to upgrade into a marquee name and his lipstick lesbian agent Diane (Elizabeth Kensek) who works to keep him in the closet because “gay and star don’t mix.” Mitchell spends a night with hustler Alex (Carson Shofner) who spends his time between hooking up with men for pay and his gal pal/girlfriend/friend-with-benefits (hard to tell which) Ellen (Shyama Nithiananda). The clincher in all this Alex and Mitchell fall for each other and everything goes awry.
Director Robin Armstrong helmed the cast with confidence and kept the pace of the action and dialogue brisk against the backdrop of the unusual but gorgeously effective set by Donna Marquet.
Moore had all the attributes of a leading man for his leading man character – handsome, cocky but with a heart. He certainly contrasted Shofner’s earnest and sensitive Alex. Both performed strongly, but lacked the chemistry to give the illusion of a budding love between them — even one built on complications.
As the fixer, Kensek stole every scene because her character had the best lines and the most comedy. Although the story was all about Mitchell, Diane was the glue and the levity needed. Nithiananda had a genuine charm as Ellen who didn’t get to blossom really until the second act.
For the guy who brought us To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everyhing Julie Newmar! and Xanadu, it was hard to figure what Beane intended here and mostly if he was going for laughs or pensive drama. The dialogue never seemed to dive deep enough into the closet issues or coming out, yet, it constantly felt like he was trying to make a point that never came – almost like Waiting for Gaydot.
Despite the talented cast, The Little Dog Laughed landed with a whimper.
–Rich Lopez
Ed. note: In the first post of this review, I had actors’ names and characters turned around. My apologies to them, Uptown Players and readers. I regret the oversight and errors.
