The ravingly gorgeous Haskell Free Library, which straddles the U.S.-Canadian border, cannot be accessed by just anyone; stacks are in one country, couches in another. Head librarian Manon tries her best to keep rules tight — no food or drink, she scolds — but turns a blind eye when visitors sneak in full cans of Pepsi that may tarnish the immaculate floor’s sparkle.

The real purpose of the library under Manon’s watch is to provide shelter for those in need. Yet, a warm embrace and necessary nourishment have time limits — respite is the present, but devastation will reveal itself soon in the future.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s uneven production of “A Distinct Society,” presented in association with Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Theatre Company, is full of lofty ambitions that are never reached. The play attempts to tackle the haunting dynamics of a Muslim travel ban’s unnecessary cruelty, but the script by Canadian-born Egyptian playwright Kareem Fahmy rarely permits its actors to burrow deeply into their arcs.

The play is led by terrific director Giovanna Sardelli, who unlocks individual moments of transcendence in each of the five characters onstage. Still, the production, even with an otherworldly scenic design by Jo Winiarski, struggles to cohere.

魁北克人的librarian Manon (Carrie Paff) serves as the conduit for others to reveal their mystery. The handsome Border Patrol agent Bruce (Kenny Scott) enters the library to engage in his crush toward Manon, a dynamic that reciprocates in time. The bullied, almost 16-year-old Declan (Daniel Allitt) finds solace in his section of the library, which softens his loneliness. Then there is Peyman Gilani (James Rana), making the long trek from Canada in hopes of seeing his medical school daughter Shirin (Vaneh Assadourian) to provide her the food of her ancestors. He possesses a weak heart, often suffering the indignance of having his name and country constantly dismissed through mispronunciation.

There are moments in the play’s 95 minutes that allow the narrative to breathe with grace. Paff, a highly skilled, longtime Bay Area stage veteran, presents exquisitely in her role, imbuing her choices with many scintillating tactical shifts. She ensures that Manon’s perilous exploration of the danger of a forbidden romance and a laser-like focus on assisting those in need is laden with nuance.

There are specifically chilling vignettes that allow for the revelation of rich artistry. Just notice the heartbreak on a face such as Allitt’s Declan as he constantly reminds others why he needs this library to survive, or the horror when the intricate planning of Peyman’s Iranian meal falls to the floor in metaphoric fashion.

The biggest issue is the play’s confounding ability to fizzle out a character’s motivation before an honest, organic moment can thrive. Situations are frequently treated as inconveniences rather than something that will disrupt one’s existence. Stakes do not hinge on life or death nearly enough, an absolute necessity in order to present more urgency within a character’s needs.

Too often, the story trudges along through the muck, depending on excessive exposition or long swaths of didacticism, forcing the play into an intemperate amount of inaction, or at other times, completely illogical action. Is an all-out screaming match really the best time for Manon to plant a big smooch on Bruce’s savory lips? In plenty of spots, characters undercut themselves with choices through dialogue that is just dreck, low-hanging fruit with minimal purpose other than to achieve cutesy laughs.

The play’s denouement continues the trend of moving toward the improbable and wholly predictable. Despite the aesthetically pleasing final moments and Fahmy’s closing prose that haunts with its ephemeral insight, “A Distinct Society” needs to do more for maximum distinction.

David John Chávez is a freelance writer.