Obviously you have to be willing to suspend your belief to get involved with a story like Peter Pan. A dog for a nanny in the real world? A fantasy land with pirates and Indians who battle a band of motherless boys? On the other hand, who doesn’t want to see children literally flying over head and imagine that they are personally guarded by a snarky fairy who would drink poison to save them? (Albeit one played by a green spot of light and some sound effects….)

The Barter Theatre starts its 75th Anniversary season with this fantastical adventure, based on Scottish playwright J.M. Barrie’s original 1904 version—one that still retains some element of sexual tension between Peter and the more aware females, Wendy, Tinkerbell and Tigerlily.

Children will be fascinated with the high-energy action that borders on chaos in some scenes, and adults will be delighted by the visuals. Fantasy artist Charles Vess—whose work was recently brought to film in the motion picture Stardust and who released an illustrated Peter Pan book in 2003—designed the sets, including the impressive NeverTree and Home Under Ground. Costumes by Amanda Aldridge were pretty elaborate, too. My only quibble was with the mermaid costume as we could plainly see the reclining actress’s feet.

Acting-wise, Gwen Edwards and Ben Mackel do a fine job as Wendy and Peter, but Barter essentials Tricia Matthews and Michael Poisson are the heart of the production as the sweet and doting parents, Mr. and Mrs. Darling. Additionally, Poisson turns in an amusing performance as the croc-fearing Captain Hook, topped only by Eugene Wolf as his superbly silly sidekick, Smee. I mean really, how many pirates care enough to sew the head back on a decapitated teddy bear?

Although the production chooses to leave out the epilogue in which Peter returns annually for Wendy and eventually her daughter Jane and granddaughter Margaret, the show is highly entertaining and remains the stirringly classic reminder of the loss of youth and innocence that Barrie meant it to be.

Taryn Chase couldn’t help but think about Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Book when Tinkerbell was acting up.

(See also our Review by a Second-Grader!)