The name “She Stoops to Conquer” accurately describes the blundering ambitions of this charming Valentine’s Day-appropriate play. The conqueror is Kate Hardcastle, a witty young seductress who sets out to ensnare the heart of a man so shy he can only flirt with girls of a lower class.

To provoke his advances, she poses as a simple barmaid wooed by the forward persona he reserves only for these women. Meanwhile, multiple subplots spice up the story like a Seinfeld episode, where the selfish schemes of each character never fail to intertwine.

Kate’s brother, an immature, prank-pulling drunk, delights in manipulating the others into offending each other. Her best friend deceives her mother to plan a romantic escape of her own. The object of her desire, Mr. Marlow, laments his ineptitude with women and the painful process of dating, to the endless amusement of his smoother, more gracious friend. Most of us can relate to at least one of these flawed characters.

Written by Oliver Goldsmith, who is rumored to have been quite the awkward flirt himself, the play explores class, courtship and dysfunctional families. It was first performed in 1773, but without the lavish 18th century costumes (which are fabulous) it might as well be Desperate Housewives…if Eva Longoria wore six times less material and half the fake hair.

“We learned to wear authentic corsets, and all received professional dialect training,” said sophomore Naomi Glick, one of five undergraduate ensemble actors. While the main actors are mostly graduates with impressive credentials that show in their dynamic delivery, young actors like Glick gain experience in these pieces. Success can also be attributed to the directing prowess of Matthew Arbour, whose positioning of scenes in close vicinity to the audience gives viewers the sense that they are right there in the pub or the parlor, somehow an accomplice to the juicy gossip and scheming.

This comedy of errors keeps the mood light, even heart-warming, to the end. It has been said that part of the reason Goldsmith wrote the script was to make fun of the sentimental weep-worthy plays so popular at the time.

So whether it’s pastel and taffeta romance you want this Valentines season, or a sarcastic mockery of dating and love, you will find both in “She Stoops to Conquer.” You will also find a good selection of fun accents, humorous quips and stylish sets made by the UW design school. Minimal but tasteful sets make a flexible space in which the actors can throw dramatic arms, spy, profess love or fall desperately onto chaise lounges. After watching, you just might want to do the same.

The play runs through Feb. 13 in the Meany Studio Theatre off of Red Square. Tickets are $10 for students, $15 for adults and $12 for seniors. Reservations and information are available at the UW Arts Ticket Office, (206) 543 4880.