title: Mastering Shakespeare: An Acting Class in Seven Scenes
author:  Scott Kaiser 
description: Scott Kaiser is head of voice and text at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, OR, where he has coached more than 65 productions. The author of Have Shakespeare, Will Travel, he lives in Ashland, OR.
zlib_text: ![](images/00001.jpg)  
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  * * *
  
  A GAUNTLET
  
  
  ACT I
  
  ACT II
  
  ACT III
  
  SCENE I
  
  SCENE II
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This page copyright © 2003 Blackmask Online.
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  # A GAUNTLET
  
  
  ### Bjornstjerne M. Bjornson
  
  
  This page copyright © 2003 Blackmask Online.
  
  
  http://www.blackmask.com  
    
  
  * ACT I
  
  
  * ACT II
  
  
  * ACT III
  
  
  * SCENE I
  
  
  * SCENE II
  
  
  
  
  
  A PLAY IN THREE ACTS
  
  
  DRAMATIS PERSONAE
  
  
  RIIS.
  
  
    
  MRS. RIIS.
  
  
    
  SVAVA, their daughter.
  
  
    
  MARGIT, their maid.
  
  
    
  CHRISTENSEN.
  
  
    
  MRS. CHRISTENSEN.
  
  
    
  ALFRED, their son, betrothed to Svava.
  
  
    
  DR. NORDAN.
  
  
    
  THOMAS, his servant.
  
  
    
  HOFF.
  
  
    
  
  
  The action of the play passes in Christiania.
  
  
  ### ACT I
  
  
  
  
  
  (SCENE.—A room in RIIS' house. An open door at the back
  
  
  leads into a park and gives a glimpse of the sea beyond. Windows on
  
  
  each side of the door. Doors also in the right and left walls. Beyond
  
  
  the door on the right is a piano; opposite to the piano a cupboard. In
  
  
  the foreground, to the right and left, two co