English pantomime (panto, for short) is a popular form of entertainment usually performed during the Christmas season. It involves music, general zaniness, physical and topical comedy, performers in drag and is often based on a familiar tale, turned on its ear. So think of what they’re doing at Theatre Nova as the British Inversion.

Written collectively and directed by Carla Milarch, it’s called An Almost British Christmas.”It’s almost British and it’s running until almost Christmas. And it’s fun. Based on the 1964 TV version of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” Theatre Nova’s re-telling involves three actors playing many parts and it’s worth the price of admission—never mind that admission is pay-what-you-can—just to catch Wayne David Parker’s portrayal of Mrs. Santa Claus with a southern accent (she’s from the South Pole).

But wait, there’s more. Parker also plays a mime and Yukon Cornelius as Donald Trump, among others. Doing correspondingly protean work are Vicki Morgan, whose main character is Rudolph, and Jennifer Graham whose principal roles are Hermey, the elf who wants to be a dentist, and narrator Sam the Snowman.

All three actors seem to be having a fine time, which disguises the amount of work they’re doing, and their visible enjoyment is contagious.

The show is eminently suitable for children about 5 and older, while for adults there are jokes and double-entendres that will sail right over the kiddies’ heads. If your child asks you what’s so funny about Santa Claus coming only once a year, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

There’s a fair amount of audience participation, with preference given to the kids, but if there aren’t enough children in the house, adults may be recruited. Also, each performance features a guest artist doing something not necessarily related to the storyline. At the performance I attended the guest was an entertaining magician, Jeff Boyer.

There’s a chase scene that may seem interminable to grown-ups, but in a theater filled with children it could get the biggest laughs in the show.

Enjoyable for all ages are R. MacKenzie Lewis’ original songs, the best of which is the catchy “Christmas Polka.” Santa, you see, is North Polish.