Prospero, after all, is only human. He has spent 12 years exiled on an isolated island, perfecting his magic, driven by revenge fantasies, and sure that he will eventually snare those who wronged him.

And suddenly he’s got them, shipwrecked and disoriented on his island, totally in his control. Thus goes the story of The Tempest, Shakespeare’s wise and enchanted finale, considered by many his last will and testament.

The Old Globe Theatre has produced some unforgettable productions of the famous tale. The 1978 version directed by Ellis Rabb is often listed among the company’s highest achievements. Adrian Noble’s new production, which has opened the Globe’s 2011 outdoor Shakespeare season, is an appropriate addition to that list.

And that’s because Prospero’s urgent, aching humanity is so real.

Miles Anderson, hailed last summer in the title role of The Madness of George III, starts The Tempest with an edge of derangement, so excited is he to find all his schemes pulling together within the sea storm he has summoned. Anderson doesn’t rail at the heavens,but rasps and snaps at his darling daughter Miranda when she pleads with him to ease the tempest. He gallops through the back story impatiently, eager for his payback, and puts his magical slave Ariel right to work.

I’m used to grand and implacable Prosperos, relishing their foresight of the wonders to come. But this is a Prospero who isn’t at all sure this wholeplanwill work. And then, when it does and his revenge is cocked to fire, he receives his revelations and finds his epiphany right in view of us observers. Revenge is sweet, but forgiveness is sweeter. Restoration of order, a Shakespeare guiding force, is thesweetest of all. And Prospero’s broken staff is a reach-out to the rest of us, almost a dare.

I need to spend some time with the text, but I’m pretty sure Noble hasn’t altered much. Somehow, though, I’ve never felt more akin to Prospero. He’s going through something that, metaphorically at least, I could face, and I’d like to think I could do as well under the pressure as he does.

This isn’t an especially lush version. The magic is done mostly with scarves manipulated by Prospero’s squad of “invisible” spirits, dressed in hospital scrubs. The masque scenes, elaborately mounted musical allegories popular around the end of Shakespeare‘s writing career, feature Japanesebunraku puppets.

Butthe show is rich in imagination, as well assensually stimulating.

Just as the wretched slave Caliban observes, this is an island full of noises. Most of them originate with Shaun Davey, who has written what amounts to a movie soundtrack. The strings and woodwinds are recorded, but most of the percussion is live, coming from Japanese taiko drums, gongs andother instrumentsmounted on stage and meshed neatly by the invisible spirits with the soundtrack. There are rousing dance numbers, engaging settings of the play’s songs – “Where the bee sucks” works especially well – and some scraps of dialogue. Dan Moses Schreier stuffs it all through electronic filters and the effect, which could be deadly, instead is bracing and gently guiding.

Ralph Funicello’s set is spacious, natural and useful, andmakes good use of the upstage foliage in the park as lit by Alan Burrett. Technology is at the service of stage pictures these days that good lighting is taken for granted, but Burrett deserves special notice for such tricks as keeping Ariel in a powder-blue pool.

Ariel is played by Ben Diskant, an imposing lad with bold abs who always seems to be involved in the drumming, singing or magical movement. His dark co-star in the island’s original cast, Caliban, is endowed withnaturalmalice by Jonno Roberts, who makes the sexual moves toward Miranda particularly offensive and who inspired costume designer Deirdre Clancy more than anybody else did.

Winslow Corbett as Miranda is an adorable blond curly-head with spunk and curiosity enough that she shares with us her “brave new world” delight. Her Ferdinand, crown prince of Naples and part of the wrecked ship’s supercargo, is done with grace and elegance by Kevin Alan Daniels,who bears a striking resembalnce toPresident Obama.

The guys from Naples, including John Cariani and Adrian Sparks as the clown drunks, are presentable enough, but lack the humanity to resonate with this Prospero. It’s his journey that Noble’s vision follows so the rest of the show is mostly dressing.

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