A Head-Scratcher

Kurt Browning, one of Canada's most famous and accomplished figure skaters, is currently starring in a Toronto stage production of Peter Pan.

For those who know the figure skating world only through the U.S. skater Scott Hamilton, well, Kurt looks a whole lot like Scott. Especially near the top of the head. Which brings me to just a little problem I have with this whole thing.

Setting aside the whole tiresome concept (not to mention the even more tiresome reality) of "boys who refuse to grow up," Peter Pan is a charming and slightly eerie story. In the story, Peter is a boy. Not a balding man of middle age, no matter how puckish and winsome.

I know that the role of Peter Pan is often played by a woman, which I don't really understand, either. And I'm not "against" balding men. I enjoy seeing people perform in roles that weren't necessarily written to their physical specifications (such as Denzel Washington as Gray Grantham in The Pelican Brief). Furthermore, I'm sure Kurt brings a great deal of joy and energy to this role.

The visual, however, is something I can't quite wrap my mind around.