FLYING Ducks Youth Theatre presents the York premiere of the gangster musical Tin Pan Ali at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre.

"It's probably the most challenging and ambitious show the company has undertaken, and we're delighted to be premiering it," says director Steve Outhwaite.

"It's a totally entertaining family show with a pantomime feel. There are some amusing characters and catchy songs and we're using the original set drawings for our production. I'm really pleased how the young people have taken to the piece."

More than 40 youngsters will be performing in David Nield and Jeremy James Taylor's musical, in which the story of the Arabian Nights is turned into a gangster-style pantomime set in Thirties' Chicago.

Poor street sweeper Ali Baba (played by Alex Deadman, 15, from Huntington) stumbles across a warehouse full of diamonds. Ali takes the jewels home to his "dear old momma", Fatimoma (Leanne Newman), whereupon his family becomes not only instantly rich but also embroiled in a troublesome gangster plot, with warehouse janitor Sesame (Matthew Dick) stuck in the middle.

All Ali's dreams seem to have come true when he finds love with the young servant girl, Morgiana (Katie Dungworth). However, problems arise once Carooni (Daniel Lawrence, 18, from Wigginton) and his gang of thieves, the Spotty Bow-Tie Brigade, come looking for the valuable Stonefeller Rock.

Performances start at 7.30pm, Thursday and Friday, 2.30pm and 7.30pm, Saturday. Tickets are £6, concessions £5, from Pam Davies on 01904 761400 or the York Theatre Royal box office, 01904 623568.

Updated: 15:57 Thursday, March 11, 2004