SOAP SIREN and recording artist Amy Nuttall is taking the West End by storm with her dazzling performance in Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly Theatre.

The former Emmerdale star made Sarah Brown the sexiest Salvation Army officer I've ever seen in the Michael Grandage-directed show.

Amy, who has previously toured in The Phantom Of The Opera and My Fair Lady, is perfect for this role as the apparently strait-laced Sergeant Brown. She and stand-in Sebastien Torkia, who played gangster Sky Masterson because Norman Bowman was indisposed when I saw the show, developed a great chemistry which was particularly apparent when they sang the moving I've Never Been In Love Before.

Another well known television actress, Samantha Janus, as glamorous dancing girl Adelaide, also shines in this 1930s Times Square love story. But, with the exception of understudy Torkia, the leading men have so far failed to match the ladies.

My colleague Stuart Amos was disappointed in the vocal performances of Norman Bowman and Ghost heartthrob Patrick Swayze, as shady gambling promoter Nathan Detroit. I saw Swayze's replacement Alex Ferns and, while he showed a hint of the mood swings he displayed as the evil Trevor in EastEnders, he didn't make a complete transition from fiesty Scot to New York wide boy. And there was little passion in the supposedly romantic scenes he shared with the gorgeous Samantha Janus.

Hopefully, Don Johnson, who takes over the role on January 8, will fare better and make Luck Be A Lady a real show-stopper. I felt the most lively numbers were Havana, which was backed by a superb dancing routine, and Sit Down You're Rocking The Boat.

This production has certainly seen several cast changes and I the night I went there were three absentees, which meant that the role of Nicely Nicely Johnson was played by Dominic Watson, and Lt. Brannigan by Richard Costello. Both gave capable performances.

But the guys, for all their considerable efforts, were outshone by the magnificent performances of the two delectable dolls!