Anita Stewart and her artistic companions at Portland Stage Company were rightfully nervous before the opening of "Peer Gynt" on Friday.

The show has been in rehearsal since Christmas, and Stewart described it as the most ambitious play the theater has attempted during her tenure as artistic director.

The Henrik Isben classic is a massive undertaking. It's one of those theater pieces that challenges the cast with its words, concepts and themes. It's metaphorically layered, and based on fairy tales, dreams and the inner fears of its central character, the not-so-lovable Peer.

Adding to the complexity is Stewart's decision to work with Figures of Speech Theatre, by including more than a dozen puppets who portray different characters at different moments in their lives. The puppets mingle with the actors on stage, introducing potential confusion.

But everything worked just fine. The audience loved the puppets, and cheered for them throughout the show.

Noah Brady, playing the lead of Peer, was on stage virtually all night, and he was outstanding. The cast, including Portland Stage regulars Sally Wood, Mark Honan, Moira Driscoll, Dustin Tucker and J.P. Guimont, had their timing down just right, and they handled the difficult script without flaw.

The play was funny and poignant, and its central theme of finding one's inner self was not lost amid the puppets, glittery costumes and complex script. The pacing was fine, and the set -- designed by Stewart -- handled the comings and goings of the cast superbly.

I am eager to read the review by my colleague Steve Feeney. But at first blush, my two-cents' worth suggests that Portland Stage pulled off "Peer Gynt" remarkably well.

It is on stage through Feb. 22, and I strongly recommend that you make the effort to go.

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