The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 11.2079  Monday, 13 November 2000.

From:           Mike Jensen <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Friday, 10 Nov 2000 10:24:23 -0800
Subject:        Spit in His Mouth

My favorite stage direction in not _Exit, pursued by a bear_.  It is in
Middleton and Dekker's The Roaring Girl 2.1, when Master Gallipot _Spits
in the dog's mouth_.

Andor Gomme's New Mermaid glosses this as obscure, but mentions Henn's
idea that it is _a device to ensure that the dog memorized its master's
scent_.

Yeah.  My dog so needs the extra help.

Does anyone know an alternate gloss?  Also, assuming there was an actual
dog on stage, any speculation on how they got the dog to go along with
this?  I'm not suggesting it is impossible, it is probably quite
possible, but there are some problems to solve to get a dog to do this.

Finally, did anyone see the RSC's production, I don't know, maybe 15
years ago?  Assuming this was not cut, how was it handled?  I am 10
months from getting to The Shakespeare Center Library, but will check
the prompt book next time I'm there if no one knows.

All the best,
Mike Jensen

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