The Department of Theater Arts ventures back to aristocratic England to stage the light and witty performance of 17th century British playwright William Congreve's "Love for Love." A humorous tale full of love and lust, greed, wealth and plenty of debauchery, the show is replete with familial back stabbing, ludicrous fortune-telling and sexual innuendo. Congreve's tale places a dozen morally wavering characters in situations in which they act upon their base desires, but are bound to end up paying for it in the end.

Professor Michael Murray, the outgoing chair of Theater Arts at Brandeis, directs an excellent adaptation of this farce on the lowbrow motivations of high-life society.

The play focuses on Valentine, played by Robert Antonelli (GRAD), an unmotivated bachelor from a well-to-do family. Valentine wishes to marry wealthy heiress Angelica for both emotional and financial reasons, but is unaware of her feelings for him.

Sir Sampson, portrayed by Artist-in-Residence Robert Walsh, wants to erase Valentine's debts in exchange for rights to the family estate and spends most of the play trying to accomplish this goal.

Assisting Valentine in the pursuit for romance and the estate are his whip-smart servant Jenny, played by Jennifer Lafleur (GRAD) and his aristocratic friend Scandal, played by Andrew Fitzpatrick (GRAD).

The entire cast is practically flawless in their delivery and stage direction. Veteran stage actor Joseph Plummer gives an over-the-top performance as the maniacal astrologer Foresight. In fact, nearly the entire cast overacts, but this works only to enhance the production.

Matthew Jasiczek (GRAD) appears as Mr. Tattle, a flamboyantly dressed sexaholic who spends the entire time trying to sleep with the female characters. Mrs. Frail, played by Mara Radulovic (GRAD) might as well be considered Tattle's female counterpart.

In the first act, double entendres and backhanded comments fly left and right while Valentine squabbles with Sampson over the inheritance rights and debts. The sarcastic Sampson is temporarily delighted when his favorite son Ben, played by Augustus Kelley (GRAD) returns from years at sea. Ben turns out to be little more than a drunken sailor and a minor plot device, but is nonetheless hilarious to watch.

Meredith Mitchell (GRAD) as Angelica, Valentine's object of affection, does not show up until late in the first act, and gives one of the very few sane performances.

Tertiary characters include Prue, played by Britney Burgess (GRAD), a girl seeking to lose her innocence, and Mrs. Foresight (Celli LaShell Pitt GRAD), a woman bored in her role as the crazy astrologer's second wife.

Valentine joins the rest of the lunatics in the second act, faking a case of insanity in order to gain everyone's attention - especially Angelica's. In fact, most of the plot development takes place in the much shorter second act, while the lengthy first act is devoted mainly to insults and sexual jokes. The sets, while simply colored, are built well, and there is great detail in every prop and background. The costume design is incredibly detailed, as are the many wigs worn by the characters. Even the stagehands are in costume. Along with some well-placed musical cues and appropriate lighting, this is a very professional production.

"Love for Love," may seem intimidating or inaccessible at first, but in reality it is a riveting, humorous and suggestive comedy that keeps the audience in their seats.

"Love for Love" runs through November 24 at 8 p.m., with additional shows at 10 a.m. on November 21 and 2 p.m. on November 24.