STAGE REVIEW : A Pale Imitation of the Bard : Theater: ‘Lady Macbeth’ is a shallow, revisionist rewrite of Shakespeare’s masterpiece. Only good acting keeps it from foundering.

“Lady Macbeth,” a new play by British playwright Jean Binnie, is a story of seduction. The seduction of Shakespeare’s virtuous Macduff by Macbeth’s ambitious wife.

In Binnie’s version of the “Macbeth” story, Lady Macbeth wants to get herself with child, a goal for which she sees the fertile Macduff to be more useful than her husband.

She feels, too, that an important nobleman like Macduff might be useful in her political aims, in case King Duncan happens to die under mysterious circumstances, clearing the way for the Macbeths’ rise to the throne.

In its current production at the Gaslamp Theatre Company’s small space, the American premiere co-production of “Lady Macbeth” by the Ensemble Arts Theatre with the Gaslamp Quarter Theatre Company, is, appropriately, enormously seductive.

Erotically charged performances by Linda Castro (Lady Macbeth) and Louis Seitchik (Macduff) are hypnotic, and the couple pursue and put each other off in a series of slippery, dance-like moves around the heavy, fortress-like set by Tom Mays.

The atmosphere is rich, dark and sultry as they pull off their sweeping flyaway costumes by Jeanne Reith and tumble into each other’s embraces to the eerie, lustrous score composed by Dan (Pea) Hicks.

The muscular direction by Ensemble’s artistic director Ginnie-Lynn Safford gets the blood boiling--until one stops to examine just what Binnie is trying to say in this revisionist version of Shakespeare’s dark, complicated tale of one man’s fall from grace.

And what does one come up with in this story about one driven woman’s rise to power?

Pop feminism, in which Lady Macbeth wails that a woman’s only way to power is through the bedroom or backdoor political intrigues.

Pop guilt, in which Macduff, who just can’t help himself from cheating on his wife, rationalizes his actions by saying “Lying to wives is what a man expects . . . with his marriage vows.”

In short, despite moments when “Lady Macbeth” has the rich look and aroma of an elegant, rich dessert souffle, the play turns out to be just another Twinkie wrapped in cellophane.

Just call it Shakespeare a la Judith Krantz. Instead of “I’ll Take Manhattan,” we have “I’ll Take Scotland.”

The production values at Ensemble Arts are, as always, exciting and innovative; it’s quite possible to tune out the soap opera-like message and to have a good time watching two fine actors and a troupe of skillful designers weave their magic.

Castro is at once tough but unbearably lovely in a profile of frustrated feminism. She projects more intelligence and piercing vision than seems warranted by speeches in which she veers from complaining about the army’s rape of young girls to the idea that one must be a queen to get respect from men.

Despite the thinness of the role, Seitchik shows surprising dignity and strength as the adulterous husband who just can’t help himself.

Mays’ set was an oppressive castle wall with prison-like windows. Alexandra J. Pontone’s lighting starved bits of brightness escaping through crisscrossed wooden slats. Hicks’ sounds effects had wild winds howling much like the entrapped spirits of the two lovers. All these effects tell a deeper story of building passions and explosive release than Binnie’s script.

Just imagine what this group could do with a play that actually bears something new that’s really worth saying.

“LADY MACBETH”

By Jean Binnie. Director is Ginny-Lynn Safford. Sets by Tom Mays. Costumes by Jeanne Reith. Lighting by Alexandra J. Pontone. Sound by Dan (Pea) Hicks. Fight direction by Martin Katz. Dramaturgy by Tim West. Stage manager is Karin Williams. With Linda Castro and Louis Seitchek. At 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays with Sunday matinees at 2 through May 19. At 547 Fourth Ave., San Diego, 234-9583.