THEATER REVIEW / ‘MACBETH’ : Show Fit for a King : California Shakespeare Company director William Fisher delivers a rich performance on a shoestring budget.

A widely held theatrical superstition requires that those involved in a production of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” not refer to the work by name--”the Scottish play” is an acceptable substitute.

One hour before the opening-night curtain of his current production of “the Scottish play,” California Shakespeare Company director William Fisher fell, fracturing his left arm. He now operates the sound and lights with one hand.

The possibility of additional impending disaster might be one reason to travel to Moorpark to see the CSC’s “Macbeth,” but a better impetus would be that Fisher, well known for his ability to mount impressive productions on a virtual shoestring, has done it again.

Mark Andrew Reyes, one of Ventura County’s most reliable performers, stars as Macbeth, the 11th-Century Scottish warrior who is destined--according to a coven of witches--to become king. Kiley Jones is featured as Lady Macbeth, who by today’s standards might be seen as the aspiring king’s proud helpmate.

Paul Forster plays Duncan, the incumbent king who isn’t ready to step down, and Aaron Forster is seen as Malcolm, Duncan’s rightful heir. Bill Hillstrom is Banquo, another general and Macbeth’s ill-fated friend; and Tim Blough plays Macduff--one of Macbeth’s rivals, he’s loyal to Duncan and Malcolm.

Fisher has cast wisely and, in a couple of cases, recovered nicely when actors dropped out and had to be replaced at the last minute. Reyes, Jones, Hillstrom and Blough are especially strong, reading their lines as if they understood them (not that common in community theater Shakespeare), and performing with enthusiasm.

Audrey Gelfand, Lori Hinkston and Samantha Welti play a particularly feral group of witches, hissing like cats as they cast their spells and predict Macbeth’s destiny.

The supporting cast ranges from adequate to quite good. One particularly amateurish piece of business occurred at a banquet, where several guests spoke with one voice, as if reciting a litany at church. Another was when the witches sang their “Double, double, toil and trouble” spell with a lilt more appropriate to a toothpaste commercial jingle.

The play is staged with low-budget costumes and minimal scenery, here all the better to draw attention to the words and acting. When something ambitious appears, such as the blood on Macbeth’s hands, or the climactic sword fight, it’s all the more impressive.

The company has relocated from its earlier facility, a hard-to-find storefront, to a somewhat easier-to-find storefront in a shopping center. While the seating capacity remains about the same, 30 or 40, the new theater is an improvement over its predecessor.

* WHERE AND WHEN

“Macbeth” continues Fridays through Sundays through Oct. 18 at the California Shakespeare Company Theater, 6685 Princeton Ave., in Moorpark. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturdays, 6 p.m. this Sunday only, and at 5 p.m. on all subsequent Sundays. Tickets are $12, or $10 for seniors and students, and must be ordered in advance--none will be available at the door. For reservations or further information, call 498-3354 or 373-9243.

CASTING CALL

The California Shakespeare Company will hold auditions for its upcoming production of “The Tempest,” on Sunday through Tuesday. The cast includes 12 men and five women, between 14 and 60 years old, and director William Fisher says he is looking for “any actor who would like to perform in a Shakespearean production.” Auditions, which will consist of cold readings from the text, will be held Sunday at 1 p.m., Monday and Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., at the company’s theater, 6685 Princeton Ave. (in Varsity Park Plaza), Moorpark. For additional information, call 498-3354 or 373-9243.

*

Thousand Oaks’ Young Artists Ensemble is looking for actors and actresses between ages 13 and 19 to portray ghouls, ghosts and creatures of the night for a Halloween fund-raiser. They’re looking for “improvisation skills and outgoing personalities” and evidently won’t be charging a participation fee this time around. Auditions will be at the Arts Council Center, 482 Greenmeadow Road, on Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; performances will be the evenings of Oct. 30 and 31 and Nov. 1. For further information, call Mark Reyes at 499-4355.