Peter Pan is the boy who won't grow up. In famous lyrics, he's the one who sings: "If growing up means it would be against my dignity to climb a tree, I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up, not me."

He's very famously a boy. He leads a group of Lost Boys, and he does what boys dream of doing – living in the ultimate world of fantasy, for instance, and battling pirates.

Why, then, is Peter so often portrayed by a woman?

Tradition. It was so in early English pantomimes. It was so when Maude Adams brought the boy to the stage in the 19th century, and it's been so when Mary Martin and Cathy Rigby, among others, have attached to the flying apparatus.

Suspend disbelief and a girl becomes a boy, no matter if you don't like it. You may as well argue that Edna Turnblad should be played by a woman in "Hairspray."

Penni Tovey makes a fine lead in the Eldorado's current Christmas offering of "Peter Pan." She's everything Peter should be – perky, quick, sweet-voiced, energetic – without looking at all like a boy.

Tovey heads a superior cast that makes this adaptation work almost in spite of itself. It is not the Disney telling, although "Never Smile at a Crocodile" and "Following the Leader" are sung. And it's not the Broadway musical version. The original music here is by Claire Dallison and Ian Wherry. This is a stage version that has been traveling the United Kingdom about five years.

It is also a perfect show for the holidays, as attendance has shown from the outset. Children love it. They should, if only because of all the times they become engaged.

A preface finds Mr. Darling, portrayed by Daniel Fenaughty, conversing with an Edwardian gentlemen, played by Gus Curry, on the streets of London. Through their exchange, the audience is informed that proper behavior by an audience requires booing upon the entrance of the villain and cheering for the hero. They then pretend to become Hook and Smee to test the audience response. Of course, later in the show, they are indeed Hook and Smee, and both are terrific.

Children in the audience, and adults too, applaud as if they believe in fairies and bring Tinker Bell (a charming Larissa Clinger) back to life. They shout and raise their hands in response to character requests – and they throw rocks.

Those, of a very bouncy and nondangerous consistence, are provided to the audience to be thrown when prompted by Pan – at Hook, of course. It is amazing to witness the vigor with which this is done. Audiences have been known to throw things at actors before, but rarely on cue, or in this case before cue. It is great fun.

This "Peter Pan" is different from the better-known in many respects. There is no John or Michael, for instance. Only the rather priggish Wendy (beautifully sung by Claire Russell) gets to fly with Peter. Tiger Lily (Robin DeGuzman) does not need rescuing but does present a Vegas-style song, accompanied by girls waving feathered fans, aerialists in a silk act, and a girl trio, somehow working her way to "La Vida Loca."

The mermaid (a very funny Whitney Armstrong) is a ditz. The pirates are mostly fun, breaking into a tumbling act involving a tambourine. And puns abound, especially on Peter's and Hook's names, delivered with unapologetic winks of the eye.

Not only the fourth wall is broken but so is most theatrical tradition, much to the audience's delight. When Smee lets it be known that Peter's planned poisoning will only be pretend, Hook first agrees, announcing that after all there are two shows to play tomorrow.

Anachronisms abound – "We Will Rock You" backs the distribution of the "magical rocks." "American Idol" gets a pretty well-deserved review by Hook. And those in the front rows had best be prepared for Pan's squirt gun.

Children can be tough audiences. They know when they're being patronized. Here, they are not, and they cheer and boo with genuine enthusiasm, they are riveted by the very clever crocodile's appearance, and they watch snow fall with glee.

Snow it does, as a prelude to Peter's final song, which in turn leads into a "Magic of Christmas" finale, bringing the cast out in costumes mirroring theirs for the show, only fashioned in brilliant white, blue, and silver combinations. Christmas songs accompany the bows, and now Hook gets what he's deserved all evening – cheers, not jeers.

The book by Jon Conway knows no shame, but understands delight and surprise. The staging is colorful and simple. The ensemble, supplemented by local children, is well cast.

At times, one can imagine sitting in a regional British playhouse, watching a production that may at times be ordinary, even amateurish, but is so innocent and earnest it comes out a winner.

PETER PAN

What: This "Peter Pan" is different from the better-known productions in many respects. There is no John or Michael, for instance. Only the rather priggish Wendy gets to fly with Peter. Tiger Lily does not need rescuing but does present a Vegas-style song, accompanied by girls waving feathered fans, aerialists in a silk act, and a girl trio, somehow working her way to "La Vida Loca." One thing is the same, however, children greet it with glee.

When: 7 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays, matinees at 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sunday (Other matinees will be scheduled according to demand.), through Jan. 1

Where: Eldorado, 345 N. Virginia St., in Reno

Cost: $27.45, $35.15, $40.65, $46.15

Information: (800) 648-5966, eldoradoreno.com

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