William Shatner Profile
Having made a name for himself on the small and big screens, it was in theatre that Montreal-born William Shatner got his start, and it was immediately apparent the moment he stepped onstage that it’s where he belonged.
Fans of Star Trek, Boston Legal and his numerous other projects erupted into a deafening cheer when the 84 year old graced the stage, and what followed was a semi-linear breakdown of his career and life to date, with the all the emotional stops.
At times, it was hard to gauge whether Shatner was directing a life story towards a punch line or heartbreak, but regardless of the outcome, laughs were never far away. "Grief and laughter are two sides of the same coin," he said.
With only a computer chair onstage, his greatest tool was the diverse nature of his voice; playing with level, tone and emphasis to draw the audience in.
Closing your eyes and it was almost like you were listening to an audiobook of a Shatner auto-biography.
His ultimate endgame was conveying how similar we all are, and rounding out the set by singing Real off his 2004 Ben Folds-produced and arranged record Has Been, that goal had been achieved.
“Just because you've seen me on your TV, doesn't mean I'm any more enlightened than you.”
