He's best known as a horror-meister, but novelist and playwright Clive Barker was in a more playful mood when he penned Subtle Bodies, a comedy about love and obsession receiving its U.S. premiere Feb. 12-March 1 at Off-Broadway's Theatre Row Theatre.

Subtle Bodies tells of a newlywed couple whose fears are unearthed by "a mysterious man of mystical influence." The comedy is directed by Thomas Caruso and features sets by Andy Warfel, costumes by Brendan Cooper, lighting by Robert Williams and sound by Johnna Doty.

A cast of 24 populate Subtle Bodies in a production by the recently formed Lucky devil [sic] Theatre Company, founded in 1996 by graduates of Circle in the Square Theatre School.

Award-winning London novelist Barker is also a painter director and actor. He is credited with the three-film horror series Hellraiser. His plays have been collected in two volumes, Incarnations and Forms of Heaven.

Last year, the Next Theatre Company of Evanston, IL, premiered the American premiere of horror author Clive Barker's play, The History of the Devil or Scenes From a Pretended Life. For tickts ($15) to Subtle Bodies at the Theatre Row Theatre on West 42nd St., call (212) 279-4200.

-- By David Lefkowitz