ROBERT Readman likes to spot new musicals to introduce to York audiences, probably an unsuspecting one in the case of Peter Buchan, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul's Dogfight.

Cannily, Readman is presenting it on the back of the much better known Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story with plenty of the cast and musicians involved in both shows. Such is the momentum built up during Buddy's run, which ended on Wednesday, that ticket sales have experienced a late surge for Dogfight.

Cannily too, to keep costs in check, Readman designed a stage that could serve both shows, one set in the late-Fifties, the other in 1963, using his trademark bridge to bring two levels to each performance.

Dogfight began life as a 1991 River Phoenix movie, re-emerging as a musical off-Broadway with the same ripe, salty language but a raft of songs rooted in folk, pop, balladry and rock'n'roll. It instantly puts you in mind of Rent and Spring Awakening, two other wild "teenage" musical dramas with a punchy score, youtfulh angst, testosterone sex drive and hardcore choreography, and its songs more than hold against both.

The story, however, is pretty slim and the aforementioned potty-mouthed language will not be to all tastes because it is so pervasive, right down to a restaurant scene where it becomes the contrived focus.

The writers will argue it is a case of "keeping it real" because the subject matter is young Marines on their last (debauched) night in San Francisco on November 21 1963 before their deployment to Vietnam. From their language to how they treat women or behave towards waiters, the marines are a rule unto themselves.

The attitude of the writers is similarly full of bravado: this isn't a musical for niceties; it doesn't have the charm or the tragic swell or even the teen appeal of West Side Story or an early Elvis Presley movie. It has, er, balls, cheek, brashness, and concealed fear of what fate awaits, with pugilistic choreography to match by Matthew Hill.

What it does have, above all else, is a set of ace songs, especially for the young leads, the Romeo and Juliet of Dogfight, in the form of Conor Mellor's prickly, blinkered, hardened Corporal Eddie Birdlace and Holly Surtees-Smith's more idealistic, unassuming diner waitress, Rose.

He needs to learn more than a boorish marine's training has taught him so far; she is the one to show him more. It is not a new story and there have been far better drawn characters in past plays and musicals, but Mellor and Surtees-Smith are nevertheless terrific, especially in their singing performances.

Mellor is emerging as the pick of Readman's latest generation, with a fabulous Rick Astley croon, while Surtees-Smith is one to watch, next playing Wednesday in The Addams Family in October.

Readman and his assistant director George Stagnell are well served by the likes of Lee West's Bernstein and Claire Pulpher's Marcy; Barbara Chan's band are on cracking form; and the pyrotechnics for a Vietnam war scene would impress on a London stage.

This may not be the best musical ever, but Pick Me Up unleash the fury and the compassion in Dogfight.

Dogfight, Pick Me Up Theatre, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, tonight at 7.30pm, tomorrow, 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Box office: 01904 623568 or thelittleboxoffice.com/pickmeuptheatre/