Start with the characters. From the lowbrow to the highborn, we find a cross section of Londoners that, with a bit of a squint and tilt of the head, could easily represent a patch of society anywhere in today's industrialized world. Put simply, their passions and desires are no less real than our own.

Then think about the author's underlying message behind the antics of the "venture tripartite" of Subtle, Face and Dol as they cozen the gullible and enrich themselves. Resist the temptation to sit back in your chair and smugly dismiss what you see as the machinations of simpletons from a bygone era. Consider this irony: the setting may be classical, but today's headlines prove that greed, lust, and the other deadly sins are truly timeless.

A play that was first performed almost 400 years ago has endured because deep down we still want to believe that the impossible isn't quite so unattainable. Don't agree? Think about it the next time you consider buying a "lifestyle" SUV for your daily commute, spending a few bucks for a one in a billion chance of boundless wealth, or falling for that alluring offer emanating from the infomercial on TV or "get rich quick" scheme on the Internet.

THE ARGUMENT

T he sickness hot, a master quit, for fear,
H is house in town, and left one servant there.
E ase him corrupted. And gave means to know

A cheater and his punk who, now brought low,
L eaving their narrow practice, were become
C oz'ners at large; and only wanting some
H ouse to set up, with him they here contract
E ach for a share, and all begin to act.
M uch company they draw, and much abuse,
I n casting figures, telling fortunes, news,
S elling of flies, flat bawdry; with the stone;
T ill it, and they, and all in fume are gone.