William Butler Yeats lived to write great poetry. Everything he did in life served that goal. And Yeats’ poetry – read by actor and playwright Rick Foster – makes up the majority of this show, titled “Fastened to a Dying Animal.” Here’s Foster, reading a poem about Maud Gonne, a fiery Irish revolutionary who was both gorgeous and unyielding, lifted by Yeats to a mythic level.

(poem)

If the patterns of that language caught your ear, if the imagery shimmered in your mind for a moment, if the references to ancient times resonated,  then you really should plan to see this one-man show about Yeats.  It’s unconventional, with little action, but very tightly focused. And it’s the most poetic play you’ll find on a Sacramento stage this year.

"Fastened To A Dying Animal" runs through March 26th  at California Stage in Sacramento.