Who played Peter Pan in the first 1904 London stage production of J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan?

Nina Boucicault played Peter Pan in the first 1904 London stage production of J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan.

Boucicault was the daughter of actor and playwright Dion Boucicault. She originated the role at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London on 27 December 1904. The production established the tradition of casting an adult woman as Peter Pan, partly because the role required a demanding stage performer and because British theatre convention restricted child actors’ working hours.

The role is sometimes associated with Maude Adams, who made Peter famous in the United States, but Adams did not play Peter in the first London production. Other early performers, including Pauline Chase, later became strongly identified with the character in London revivals.

Barrie’s play became one of the most frequently revived works in English-language theatre, and its casting tradition influenced Peter Pan productions for decades.