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That鈥檚 too bad, because all the ingredients for two hours of silly escapism are mostly there in Will Evans and Valentine鈥檚 (the pen name of Archibald Thomas Pechey) 1920s British farce.

Inventor Aubrey Allington (Mike Nadajewski) and his clever wife Louise (Julia Course) are living comfortably enough in what seems like flapper era London. They sleep in late, wear fancy dressing gowns (costume designer Judith Bowden鈥檚 outfits are eye-poppingly effective) and leisurely read their mail 鈥� mostly overdue bills 鈥� while sipping tea served by their proper butler, Sprules (Graeme Somerville), and maid, Simpson (Marla McLean).

When a lawyer named Chesterman (Qasim Khan) informs Aubrey that he鈥檚 inherited nearly half a million dollars (this is a century ago, so do the math), his financial mess seems to be cleaned up.

The problem: Aubrey is currently in debt for roughly the same amount. How can he pocket the moolah without paying back his pesky creditors?

Together, the couple concoct a ridiculous scheme. Aubrey, who鈥檚 been working on inventing a new kind of blasting powder, will fake his own death via an explosion. Thereafter, he will assume the identity of his cousin, one George Maitland, who would stand to inherit the money. George was living in Mexico, but hasn鈥檛 been seen in years.

Before you can mouth Peter Bogdanovich鈥檚 famous line, 鈥淒rama is easy, comedy’s hard,鈥� other characters 鈥� including Sprules and Simpson 鈥� are hatching self-serving schemes. Even the couple鈥檚 house guest, Jean Everard (Cosette Derome, filling in for Lindsay Wu at the performance I saw), has a connection to the cash.

The only people not tied to the inheritance are the couple鈥檚 simple gardener Giles (Ron Kennell) and their hard-of-hearing family relation Miss Benita Mullett (Nehassaiu deGannes), who each have comic quirks all their own.

I won鈥檛 spoil any of the play鈥檚 machinations, particularly in the more manic second act. But I will point out that Andr茅 Morin and Sepehr Reybod show up in this second half and, clad in similar outfits, enact a physical routine that is a pure delight to witness. On Bowden鈥檚 elegant drawing room set, doors open, characters hide, and identities are mistaken again and again. Highly amusing stuff.

It might seem churlish to criticize a 100-year-old play for minor plot holes. But there鈥檚 no proper payoff to Sprules and Simpson鈥檚 schemes. And a spat between Giles and an unseen cook that is hinted at early on doesn鈥檛 deliver any dramatic dividends apart from a fun bit of early business involving eggs. Also, since Aubrey is a failed inventor, couldn鈥檛 one of his ideas turn out to play a key role in the finale?

Had the writers or director Holmes done something to fix these loose plot threads, the show might elicit bigger laughs.

Oddly enough, 鈥淭ons of Money鈥� works best in its peripheral moments. The way Nadajewski launches himself onto a sofa, for instance, tells you everything you need to know about this genial, pampered man. Nadajewski and Course, aided by movement collaborator Matt Alfano, find many ways to physically suggest their intimate connection.

And during the play鈥檚 transition scenes, underscored by Andy Ballantyne鈥檚 lively jazz music, Somerville and McLean evoke the passions they鈥檙e prevented from showing in their characters鈥� day-to-day lives.

As usual, the Shaw ensemble doesn鈥檛 disappoint. Nadajewski is a nimble and endlessly likeable clown who gets to hide beneath various accents and costumes, including a stripped-down look that helps end the first act. Khan plays the stock character of the straight-man solicitor with skill, gamely accepting all the jokes 鈥� and bodily fluids 鈥� aimed at him and his profession. Reybod, likewise, plays his character with a seriousness that makes his actions all the funnier.

But although he doesn鈥檛 appear until the second act, it鈥檚 Morin who seems to be enjoying himself the most onstage. His character lacks any sort of backstory, yet Morin, with his malleable mug and impeccable timing, is such a terrific actor that he makes you forget about all that.

If only he and his character had a bit more stage time, 鈥淭ons of Money鈥� could have cashed in more on its comic potential.