NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE -- It's a treatise on poverty and wealth, touching on the venality of slum landlords and the complicity of the middle class and its politicians. A new paper from the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty?

Nope, just the first play by playwright Bernard Shaw, written more than a century ago and revived for the third time in its history by the festival that now bears the famous playwright's name.

It's called Widowers' Houses and it's being given a flawed but still powerful production on the stage of the Court House Theatre.

The play starts out as a Victorian love story, in which young Dr. Harry Trench (Dylan Trowbridge) conspires to win the hand of lovely young Blanche (Lisa Norton), daughter of the wealthy Sartorius (Jim Mezon).

While it's obvious that the innocent young doctor is utterly smitten, her father -- a self-made man -- is worried that the doctor's aristocratic family may not find Blanche as fine a catch as Harry does.

Aided by his good friend Cokane (Patrick Galligan), Harry is able to reassure Sartorius. But before a betrothal can be celebrated, Harry finds out that Sartorius' wealth grows from his position as the city's most notorious slum landlord --information imparted by an embittered ex-employee named Lickcheese (Peter Millard).

An already horrified Harry is even more dismayed when he discovers that his own income flows directly from Sartorius' squalid enterprise.

The engagement falls apart.

At least for a time.

Working on a crabbed set designed by Christina Poddubiuk to remind the audience that glass houses and stone-throwing don't mix, director Joseph Ziegler scores a mixed triumph with his well-seasoned cast.

On the plus side, Mezon gives yet another performance of understated strength, playing perfectly off Trowbridge's lovely wide-eyed innocence. Even so, as Lickcheese, Millard comes close to stealing the show.

But as a Victorian maiden, Norton just doesn't cut it. Ziegler has encouraged her to play up her character's flaws to a point of repugnance. While he no doubt had his reasons, they remain elusive for this viewer.

Meanwhile, Galligan gives an over-embroidered turn that's designed to delight audiences rather than serve the character or the play.

Still, it's a production where the pluses clearly outweigh the minuses, where the best people are those who recognize their flaws, proving once again that, with apologies to Rudyard Kipling, if you can keep your head while all about you are losing theirs, then, my son, you've got no business whatsoever in a play by Bernard Shaw.

IF YOU GO

What: Widowers' Houses, by George Bernard Shawl directed by Joseph Ziegler

When: Till Oct. 4

Where: Court House Theatre

Tickets: $47-$77 (some discounts may apply); 1-800-511-7429

Rating: * * * * (out of five)