A.R. Gurney cleverly dramatizes lessons from some of the great books of Western literature in his latest Flea premiere, set in faculty offices of a 1970s college. (Gurney’s characters discuss the great works and also embody them.) Too much poor acting and a few far-fetched scenarios prevent the characters from springing to life; but if the piece is an academic exercise, its erudition and inventiveness make it largely worth the $25 tuition.—Jonathan Mandell