THEATER REVIEW / ‘THE TEMPEST’ : Shakespeare Primer : This sexy, humorous, magical work is done well by a Moorpark-based troupe.

If there was ever a Shakespeare play ideally suited for beginners, it’s “The Tempest.” A current production by the Moorpark-based California Shakespeare Company does well by the wonderful story, filled with well-balanced elements of humor, action and magic. It may also be Shakespeare’s sexiest play.

Prospero, who has been unjustly deposed as the Duke of Milan, lives stranded on a remote island. His only company consists of his teen-age daughter Miranda, the sprite Ariel, and a monster, Caliban.

A wise man and magician of sorts, Prospero uses Ariel as a servant, and keeps the surly Caliban under check. But when a ship passes by whose passengers include the king of Naples and his young son--as well as the man who usurped the Milanese throne--Prospero summons up a “tempest,” or storm, which will bring the ship to the island.

Miranda has never seen a man other than her father before she meets the king of Naples’ son, Ferdinand. The two immediately fall in love. In the meantime, two of the nobles from the ship are plotting against the king of Naples, and Caliban--fueled by wine given him by a pair of drunken sailors--thinks that he can at last rid himself of Prospero.

Director William Fisher takes an unusual approach to “The Tempest,” casting as Prospero a younger man than usual. Eric Bryant Wells, who has a sort of Peter O’Toole faraway look, portrays the man as a combination of Shakespeare and Jesus.

Young lovers Ferdinand (Brian La Spada) and Miranda (Sarah V. Strachan) are given a contemporary youth appeal; they might have stepped out of a production at West Beverly Hills High School, except that they’re better actors than the “Beverly Hills 90210” cast. Shannon Fill’s flirtatious portrayal of Ariel is reminiscent of Julia Roberts’ Tinkerbell in “Hook.”

None of this does the play any harm, except maybe with members of the audience who are harnessed by intellectual cobwebs. Another point in this production’s favor was the decision not to affect broad English accents, which would obscure the dialogue.

The remaining roles are well played, with Paul Michael Nieman as the fearsome Caliban. On opening weekend, two of the sailors were played by ringers while the regular players were otherwise occupied.

* WHERE AND WHEN

“The Tempest” continues weekends through Dec. 13 at the California Shakespeare Company Theater, 6685 Princeton Ave., in Moorpark. Performances are tonight, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. There will be no show tomorrow night, and tonight’s is the only Thursday show. General admission is $12; $10 for students and seniors. For reservations, which are mandatory, or further information, call 498-3354 or 373-9243.