ASK Brian Higginson to describe his new play for this summer's York Theatre Royal Young People's production, and he says it is a wild and wacky comedy with a year 2000 theme, set in York at the time of the second coming.

Oh, and it features songs by Sixties girl groups such as The Ronettes and The Shangri-Las and has a character inspired by public relations guru Max Clifford. No wonder the title includes 'Extraordinary'!

Next Friday and Saturday, his 32-strong cast of 15 to18-year-olds takes to the Theatre Royal stage to present The Extraordinary Plan Of Angelina Dork.

Two weeks of rehearsing every day at the Walmgate rehearsal studios began on August 21, leading up to the technical week at the Theatre Royal, culminating in the two 7.30pm performances.

The teenage cast - 20 actors and 12 singers - has been working with not only Brian, the Theatre Royal's education and outreach officer, but also musical director Em Whitfield and the theatre's technical staff.

"We have two innovative things about this particular production," says Brian.

"The first is having Em working with us on the music, as there's a singing group doing a cappella versions of songs such as He's So Fine and Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow. The second is the physical theatre aspect.

"So, doing a show like this, it's not just about rehearsing. The cast will be learning a wide range of singing and performance skills. "

In Higginson's play, the Angel Gabriel has lost the plot. He has to find a girl called Mary by nightfall but there are five of them, and to make matters worse, he is being chased by The Department, the police and a group of Citizen Smith-style anarchists. Throw in a megalomaniac politician called Dork and an omniscient DJ, and chaos reigns.

Beneath the surface fun, the play also looks at contemporary issues such as the role of the media, freedom of choice and personal ambition. "In preparing the play, and to help develop the script, we've talked about what young people want at the start of the new Millennium and what concerns them.

"It's not a serious play," Brian stresses. "However, one of the issues that concerns them most is media manipulation, and in particular people being manipulated into something they're not."

Media? Manipulation? Not in this article, there isn't. Honestly.

Tickets: £5, concessions £2.50; ring 01904 623568.