The centuries-old classic formally known as "The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night" presents one of the great plot devices: Young maiden Scheherezade escapes murder at the hands of King Shahryar by telling him riveting, to-be-continued stories. In 1992, Mary Zimmerman adapted this material into a colorful work, "The Arabian Nights," which has settled into Arena Stage with a dynamic cast and a fabulous collection of rugs.

It's a long show (you may start to feel as if you will have to spend 1,001 nights in the theater), but something absorbing or amusing pops up after every slow spot. Whether you laugh hysterically at the ultimate flatulence tale depends on how suppressed your inner frat boy is, but stories addressing love, lust and loyalty deliver their lessons effectively. And the account of a little lost bag with strange qualities, an account improvised at each performance, is pretty cool.

Stacey Yen is a vivacious Scheherezade, David DeSantos a volatile King Shahryar. The large ensemble is filled with similarly astute and amiable actors.

Zimmerman directs the action with a sure, imaginative touch. The combination of Daniel Ostling's set, Mara Blumenfeld's costumes and T.J. Gerchens' lighting proves terrifically evocative. Music by Andre Pluess adds greatly to the atmosphere.

The play has a powerful undercurrent that surfaces in key scenes, as when a young woman (nicely portrayed by Susaan Jamshidi) surprises her elders with her knowledge of the true tenets of Islam. Or when, in the finale, the faint sound of a siren is heard and strikingly choreographed movements for the performers take all of us to a very different kind of night in Baghdad.

"The Arabian Nights" runs through Feb. 20 at Arena Stage, 1101 6th St., S.W., Washington. Call 202-488-3300 or go to arenastage.org.

—Tim Smith