The plot moves along an obvious path in "Teacher, Teacher," the new play by Anthony Michael Oliver, now at Kumu Kahua Theatre. But while the May-December romance between an English teacher and her college pupil contains few surprises, it ultimately wraps up in a satisfying way.

It's a Pygmalion story with topical references to "To Sir, With Love" and "My Fair Lady" that serve as neon-sign guideposts to anyone who might need help traversing this familiar territory. But lest you fear that the central character might retrace the steps of Blanche DuBois before she finally lost Belle Reve, rest assured that she more nearly replays "Tea and Sympathy" instead.

What keeps Act 1 afloat are its familiar local images.

Denise-Aiko Chinen is the epitome of propriety as the 40-ish spinster Sharon Kido — legs crossed firmly at the ankles and hands folded primly in the lap. Her enunciation is perfect, but her composure has recently suffered an unexpected crack. She has just exploded over a couple of loutish students on the last day of the term — pronouncing them to be hopeless buffoons.

Christopher Masato Doi is the stereotypical moke as Gavin — mumbling, slouching, hands rolled up inside his T-shirt and unwilling to make eye contact. But not only is he in protracted adolescence at age 21 and safely out of child-molestation territory — he also wants to change his prospects.

So while Ms. Kido teaches him how to find his salad fork, he teaches her how to enjoy her sexuality. Well, you can write the rest of this part as well as anyone else.

Playwright Oliver and director Harry Wong III take these characters along the straight and narrow way — not too kinky and not too schmaltzy. Crossing the emotional quicksand of their sexual relationship, we end up on safe ground and — ultimately — we are not unhappy to find ourselves there.

What gives Act 2 a boost is Chinen's middle-aged lust effervescing into latent teenage crush-bubbles over her new beau, and Doi's morphing, Cinderfella style, into a man who speaks in complete sentences. It's downright wholesome fun that anyone can enjoy. We can also enjoy Salli Morita's earthy vivacity as the teacher's younger sis, and M.J. Gonzalvo as Gavin's fishing buddy.

"Teacher, Teacher" works because it doesn't stun us, but neither does it offend us. Call it middle-of-the-road hanky-panky.