If you were fascinated by the Bernie Madoff scandal, then chances are you are going to love "The Voysey Inheritance," the latest offering from Warren's 2nd Story Theatre. For the play and the real-life events of recent times have uncanny parallels.

And that is kind of interesting, seeing that Harley Granville-Barker wrote his play a century ago. Granville-Barker was a Shaw contemporary who produced plays, wrote about Shakespeare and tended to his own theatrical creations. The play that 2nd Story's Ed Shea is directing, though, has been adapted by David Mamet, another playwright interested in the world of business.

Shea said that Mamet served more as an editor, keeping large chunks of the original, but "boiling it down to its essence. He's taken what is probably a three-hour play and got it down under two."

Simply put, "The Voysey Inheritance" is about an Edwardian Ponzi scheme. A certain Mr. Voysey runs an investment firm, but has spent all his investors' capital to support a lavish lifestyle. His son, Edward, discovers this when he inherits the firm and confronts the father, who sees nothing wrong with his practices. After all, the investors are being paid dividends.

But Edward is determined to restore the money. The only problem is he will have to continue to carry on the practices of his father while he does so. All would have worked out for the best had it not been for an old friend of Edward's father who doesn't trust Edward, a man who is ironically honest to a fault. The man asks for all his money.

And that's when things come crashing down.

"It's a real financial thriller," said Shea.

The parallels with Madoff are many, said Shea. Edward is worried about the small investors, who will be hurt the most. Just like Madoff, who took money from his employees, Edward's father ripped off an old housekeeper.

And just like Ruth Madoff, Edward's mother insisted her wealth is separate from the ill-gotten gain of the firm.

When Edward decides to reinstate the embezzled money, he tells his brothers there will be no more allowance for them. He wants to give what's left back to the investors. Edwards tells his siblings that he will probably go to jail, but they will be in the clear.

"The play is an examination of trust-fund babies," said Shea.

There is also an examination of the artist's mind. Brother Hugh, who is an artist, says Edward can take all his money, it never did him any good.

Shea has been impressed by Granville-Barker's portrayal of the father, too. "He's got a great handle on the psychology of a sociopath," he said.

The play also has a handle on the mood of the country, said Shea.

"We all feel victims of the bailout, of Goldman Sachs. We feel victimized by high-level con men. Where is the money, we all want to know?" Shea said the play is a story about Edward "coming to terms with the way the world works, that there are gray areas." He said it's a "quiet, thoughtful play. There's only one entrance on stage, and people come into a room where things are discussed." But, he said, "there is a lot in this little play."