IT'S a tough job ... but someone has to do it.

Spare a thought for poor Marti Pellow, forced to spend his nights being fawned over and fondled by three gorgeous, sexually charged women -- the lucky devil.

And the devil he is in the shape of Darryl Van Horn, the answer to the prayers of three frustrated women in the strait-laced New England town of Eastwick.

But as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for because you might just get it. The three desperate dames sell their souls to Van Horn in return for nights of unbridled passion before eventually discovering there is always a devil of a price to pay as Van Horn corrupts the town and brings tragedy to their doorstep. But hey, don't worry, good triumphs in the end.

For a star whose trade is pop music, Marti Pellow is astonishingly good. His performance is full of passion and commitment as he becomes the devil incarnate, arrogant, outrageous and downright evil.

As a singer, he possesses the strength and range needed for musical theatre. All he presently lacks is a fully developed actor's voice capable of hitting the back row with well-defined clarity. Nevertheless his genuine star quality bridges a gap which, given time, will surely narrow.

The more he works alongside established performers like Ria Jones, Rebecca Thornhill and Poppy Tierney, who play the three ladies of the title, the sooner he will master the craft.

All three of them were simply stunning. In fact, this colourful and cleverly scripted show is well cast right down the list. Rachel Izen gives a gutsy performance as the town's moral guardian Felicia Gabriel, and Joanna Kirkland and Chris Thatcher make an appealing pair of naive young lovers who eventually fall under Van Horne's dark spell.

The only thing this raunchy, x-rated show lacks is a stand-out song, the kind that remains in your head long after the final curtain.

There are a couple of bright production numbers, Dirty Laundry and the exciting Dance With The Devil, but nothing that someone like Marti Pellow could carry to the top of the charts.

ANDY SMART