William Congreve's The Way of the World, the English Restoration period comedy now at Shakespeare Theatre Company, requires modern theatergoers to put the plot aside and concentrate on the conversation. There are many gems to be found there; some are hilarious and comically shallow, while others are clever and insightful. Even when the actors -- under Michael Kahn's usual sharp direction -- struggle with the convoluted story lines, they revel in the playfulness of the dialogue.

Congreve seems to enjoy putting characters onstage who mock the idle, wealthy patrons who attended theater in the Restoration, a period when the arts began to flourish after a long government crackdown. While prey[...]