The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • 31

Pertfomnraance THE SUN, Friday, January 16, 1981 B7 Henry VIII, chauvinist 'Royal Gambit' is a feminist look at the monarch and his six wives 'Multiple Maniacs' bach to mock the Censor Board 1 I I i v- Dy Geoffrey Himes i iJ ('t i 1 I I 'v I X. i 1 wk A i I v. I jOO it So many of his lines, however, are heavy with the king's ruminations on political and theological themes reinforced by bis heavy costumes that indicate his authority-that even the vigorous play of Mr. Knox has difficulty surrounting them. Indeed, the weakest parts of the long play come as Catherine of Aragon, his first wife, played with a dominating stage presence by Kathleen Bowman, attempts to debate with Henry the conflict between faith and reason, a conflict of ideologies now seen as Important in that period.

The purpose of this debate in the play become obvious as the playwright attempts to link a dominance of reason to the present-day wars and troubles, inserting references to computers and other manifestations of scientific wonders. The wordy debate that leads to this theme is overemphasized and leads the play to a sodden end. Still, Henry looms so large a figure in history, and his ability to surround himself with pretty women is such an attractive aspect of his life, that any recounting of his story, even one that finds a modern feminist theme in it, can be fun. For Instance, there is a scene in which Henry dallies on a bed with Jane Seymour, always his sentimental favorite (and played well by April Inloes), while the fine figure of Anne Boleyn, portrayed with tragic grace by Kathi Sordello, descends slowly into the execution chamber. Such a scene gives a certain pace to the play.

It gives the struggles of the later wives, Anne of Cleves, who bluntly gets a handsome settlement, and the silly Catherine Howard, who loses her head on the chopping block, a clear insight into the game they are playing with Henry after he has become dangerous. Anne of Cleves, a wily character handled well by Trlsha Blackburn, and Catherine Howard, played by Elane Denny Harris, represent two well defined aspects iy Theodore W. Hendricks When the lights go up on the first scenes in the new, lavish production of the play "Royal Gambit" at the Vagabonds, the audience is entitled to an anticipatory gasp. For there on a tastefully draped stage are Henry VIII and his six wives, arrayed in costly court magnificence and dancing to the graceful music of the period. But before long, an audience will almost certainly catch a purposeful tackiness that the director has made evident In dealing with the play written by Herman Gressiker.

For instance, the gorgeously dressed ladies kneel on clear plastic prayer stools, instead of the heavy wooden furniture we are used to seeing in representations of the era. The language too is hopelessly pompous, dealing with profound political concepts and clearly designed to express a world dominated by male arrogance. But Henry's part In this debate Includes the sly eye he uses in surveying the women of his court. It is as if, says Anne Matnolfi, the director, this male-dominated world has as its purpose, not the beneficial working out of political doctrine in a troubled realm, but the manipulation of pretty women for male purposes. As Mrs.

Mainolfi points out, "Royal Gambit" deals with all six of Henry's wives, each of whom is shown to struggle, not exactly for Henry's heart, but for a feminist role in the fast-changing world the vigorous English monarch is ushering in Because of the undoubted attraction of Henry, played by Scott Knox, the women cannot resist his ability to charm and make love, as well as to give them a queenship. Mr. Knox has an appealing raffish side to illustrate this. Vn Scott Knox as Henry VIII and Lisa Hayes of the feminist theme of the play. Both are attracted to the king, yet have trouble assessing their place in the world he insists he controls.

According to Mrs. Mainolfi, one of the many delicate arrangements in staging the play came in working out the use of movable drapes so that the many characters in the cast can enact scenes on various parts of the stage. She has also filled the stage with plastic furniture, not only prayer stools but tables and benches, and made the back drapes very plain. At one point, Henry holds aloft a figure of his long-hoged-for new son, Edward, Who soon dies. The baby is molded in plastic and an intense light is made to shine through it, giving another dramatic indication that all Henry's pompous hopes and grand ideas are unreal.

The checkerboard stage floor reinforces a theme of the play, which attempts to show that Henry is manipulating all those bountiful women with ideological debate when what he really wants is to go to bed with them. David's plot and plan a counterattack. The film reaches a gory, ridiculous climax back at Divine's apartment. The bodies drop as quickly as at the end of "Hamlet" or "Night of the Liv-ing Mr. Waters describes "Multiple Maniacs" as his "first all-talkie, full-length The credits read: "Produced, written, directed, filmed and edited by John Waters." Mr.

Waters did a respectable job on the writing and directing; the producing and filming leave a good bit to be desired. The camera bobs and weaves as if it were woozy from barbiturates. The production values are so cheap that the circus tents look as if they were stolen from a state park campground. "Multiple Maniacs" is not nearly as accomplished as Mr. Waters's 1975 "Female Trouble" or 1977 "Desperate Living." But this early black-and-white film introduces the performers and themes that inhabit all his films.

Edith Massey-who can still be found beneath her movie posters at her second-hand shop in Fells Point-plays the barmaid who rats on Mr. David. Pat Moran-now the manager of the Charles Theatre -plays a suburban housewife in the fakest wig imaginable. Mink Stole is every bit as shrewish as she is in Mr. Waters's later films.

Mary Vivian Pierce who plays Bonnie -is every bit as blank. David Lochary-who died from drugs in 1976 plays Mr. David with demented vigor. But no one is more demented or more vigorous than Divine. She waddles down Baltimore's Broadway with a tight-skirt swivel that reduces sexuality to the ludicrous.

All of Mr, Waters's films suffer from a lack of contrast. He delves so far into the absurd that he pits one gro-tesqueness against the other. There no contrasting normality to provide perspective. The only hint of normality in "Multiple Maniacs" comes in the opening sequence. The suburban couples watch Divine's Cavalcade of Perversities with snooty disgust and helpless fascination They are not unlike the Maryland en-sor Board.

It is one of the few times in Mr Waters's films that the real wurld and the grotesque world intersect It is by far the funniest sequence in the film. Bad taste is based on the concept that some things are just too disgusting to be funny. John Waters, the Baltimore filmmaker, has dedicated his entire career to proving that nothing is too disgusting to be funny. He wants to obliterate the notion of bad taste. Mr.

Waters's approach to movies has inevitably brought him into conflict with the Maryland Censor Board. The board tried its best to censor Mr. Waters's 1970 feature "Multiple Maniacs." A circuit court decision, however, allowed the film to open last weekend at the Charles Theatre. It returns to the Charles for midnight screenings today and tomorrow. "Multiple Maniacs" is thoroughly disgusting.

It's also quite funny at times. Anyone who insists on a definite boundary between good and bad taste will be offended by the film. Those who ire willing to bend their definitions of taste may well be amused. As Mr. Waters himself has admitted, "My sense of humor is not everyone's." In the film, Mr.

Waters seems to be testing just what people will laugh at. Will people laugh at a transvestite raping a transsexual? Will people laugh at a lesbian seduction in a church pew? Will people laugh at a murderess chewing on the entrails of her victim? They will if they realize that Mr. Waters has intentionally exaggerated everything to make it ridiculous. For example, the corpse-eating scene is obviously fake: Divine pulls grocery shelf liver from David Lochary's shirt and chews on it. The purpose is not to shock anyone.

The purpose is to mock the whole notion of shock. "Multiple Maniacs" is the story of Lady Divine's Cavalcade of Perversities. This troupe rolls into a suburban housing development and sets up its tents. It titillates the locals with such acts as sniffing bike seats. And for the finale it robs the crowd at gunpoint.

Mr. David-Divine's emcee and boyfriend -yearns to run off with his mistress, Bonnie. So they conspire to kill Divine, that grinning whale of a transsexual. Meanwhile, Divine is seduced by Mink Stole, a lesbian with a rosary. Divine and Mink discover Mr.

AMUSt-MfcNTS m.iI Wef iff i Sun photo Ralph L. Hobinson as Katherine Parr la "Royal Gambit." Mrs. Mainolfi admits there is much inflated language in the play, but she points to the presence of the six women she has assembled to play the parts of Henry's wives as an eye-appealing attraction to the audience. As an example of this, she has saved the part of Katherine Fair, the last of Henry's wives, for a very attractive actress, Lisa Hayes. Henry, as the play ends, is old and has many long speeches to be delivered to an audience which has heard it all before.

But Miss Hayes plays an attentive wife, not fawning but conscious of ber attraction as a widow, and bolsters the final heavy moments with a welcome lightness. Whatever else is in the play, the audience goes away with a feeling that the Vagabonds have spared nothing in the design and making of costumes which are rich and varied throughout. "Royal Gambit" will be performed on weekends until February 8 in the Fells Point playhouse of this venerable Baltimore play group. Tickets may be reserved by calling S63-S13S. Producers.

The musicians did wrangle from producers a concession to make a separate agreement on home video. "I'm glad it's over, but we are disappointed with what we got," said Tibor Zelig, a 59-year-old free-lance musician who said his income was cut in half by the strike. Details of the tentative pact reached late Wednesday were not released. Union members will vote on the contract by mail, a process expected to take four weeks. AMUSEMENTS 1 i AMUSEMENTS AMUSEMENTS TV, film musicians end strike Movies KEY-Callaa Pari.

-Bananas. Evary mmoAoouiSaniR) tRockyMorror 11.30 Hollywood, Calif. (API-After, a 5V2-month-long strike, 5,000 musicians who play scores for movies and television shows began returning to work yesterday, having reached a tentative agreement with producers that failed to win their key demand. Members of the American Federation of Musicians went back to recording studios without an agreement for payments for reruns of filmed television shows -the issue which sparked the 167-day-old strike with the Association of Motion Picture and Television AMUSEMENTS AMUSEMENTS AMUSEMENTS AMUSEMENTS J.aiiiiiaii. 1.1 nwi iimaiii laiaaii.

GOLDIE HAWN-BEST ACTRESS OQLOZH GLOBE SI APOLLO W-ISM starter Vomer's Dav ifti Hllli Have Eytt iRI RCOi-S4M Mirlirt eVM M-dnittSho' Rl CLAIR Btl Air kannr IRI Vidnrf Ruttiv Horrot IRI BELTWAY PLAZA I Pv! BenurWn (Rl Mdml Jimi IR) tCLTWAY PLAZA II Scinntri iRI IOULEVARD-1N1 Oronmwol Av lR CAMPUS HILLS OH I Bl Air Bur ll'lnU 'PHI MS. 15 CAMPUS HILLS CIN. Il-Bl Air- Slir Craiv (R) 7 30, 9:30 CARLTON 1201 Dundalk Ava. Blua Bros Animal Houll (R CARROLLTOWNE I Sldarlburi- Baar Island (POI 7.00, 00 CARROLLTOWNE II Eldarsburt- Vlr Craiv (R) 7:05, CARROLLWOOO l-Mlddla Rwar- Pvl EyenPG) 7:15, JO CARROLLWOOO II Mlddlt Rlvtr Privalf Baniamln IR) 1. 1, 7, CHARLES-tll N.

Cliarlti-Knita in I ThtLall-HandaaWomanl CHURCH LANE Pvi Bamamin IRI 7:50, S0 CIRCLE Annioom, Md. Im IRI 7 J0, li COLUMBIA CIN. I Rl. Any Wrticri Way Yau Can IPG) 10 COLUMBIA CIN. II Rl.

It Sllr Crary (Rl 715 CREST If Wolnar't Day (R) Hint nave Eya iRi SARLE-4147 Itltlr NvrnDMI (XI MlODy Houtawtvfl l) EASTPORT CINEMA l-AnnapIU- Anv WriicK Way You EASTPORT CINEMA ll-Annanlll- Stannari lR) 7 00 t-00 IOOEWATER CIN. I tdaawMd S.nnr IRI 7. II E06EWATER CIN II Edsewead PoMvt IPOI7 I5, EDMONDSON VILLAGE Mom tr't Oav (Rl Mini Havt Eyat IRI GLEN 1URNII MALL Any Whicn Wav You Can IPGI 30. 0 30 6RANO SOt S. Canillni Snogun Atustin (Rl nam H5 HARFORO MALL CIN.

I-Bal Air 5nir Lika Old Timai (POI 31, 9:30 HARPORD MALL CIN. II Bal Air-Nina 10 Five IPGI 7 05. 9 HARUNOALE CIN. I-Seti Lm Old Tim iPGl 1 315, 5 IS, 7 IS 9:30 HARUNOALE 'CIN. II A Chansa of Seasons iRI I 30 3 45 5:45, 7:45.

9.90 HIILENOALE I-I04S TiYlar ny vVmch Way You HILLSNDALE II 1045 Taylar Scannarl IRI 10 HIPPOOROME-Baar Island IPGl Any Which Way You Can IPG) HOLLYWOOD ArtulUS Pyt. Benlamln IRI 7,1 JOPPATOWNE-Jaaaa Farm Any Way Yoll Can IPGI 7:15, 9:30 JUMPERS MALL 1-RilchH Nm to Fia IPGI 7:50. 9:50 JUMPERS MALL ll-RHChlo Scannart (Rl 935 JUMPERS MALL lll-Rltchlt Popayt IPO) 740, 945 JUMPERS MALL IV-Rltchi Mirror Crack 0 (PGI 10 JUMPERS MALL V-Rllthla Raofno BuH (R) 7.30.9.50 LIBERTY I LlbartY Court Any Which Way You Can (PGi siarts 1 40 LIBERTY II Libtrtv Caurl Snt0ur Assassin Rl LITTLE-513 N. Havard of Us xi Rsleo Girls IX i MAYFAIR-J41 N. Howard Vnrr, IRI 2.

4, 4 I. 10 MINI-PLICK I Pikasyllia Pvi Bamamin iRI 7:30. 9 30 MINI-PLICK II -Pikasyllia immor- lai Bachelor I. 10 MOVIES I G.R. Mall-Saerm Lika Old Times (PG) slant 1040 NEW Mi Park Ava.

Sllr Craly (ft) 13. 1.55, 3 50, 5.44, 7:40, 9.35 NEW CARVER 143 PfitM Ave. Closed Reopen Saturday NORTH POINT Paint Any Way You Can (PG) 715, 9:30 NORTHWOOO 99 Motheri Day IR) Hills Have Evas (R) PARK Indian Park Scanners (R) 7 30,9:30 PATTERSON I 313 Eastern Aye. Popeve (PG) nans 1.35 PATTERSON 11-313 Eastern Ave Scanners IRI PERRIN6 PLAZA I -Flash Gordon IPO) 2 4:30 7, 9:30 PEERING PLAZA II-The Tirsl Family IRI 1:30. 3:30, SJO, 7:30, 9:30 PIKES Relsttrsttwn Rd.

Minor Crack'd (PG) 7:45, 9.45 PLAYHOUSE Charles A litr. St. The Formula IR) I. 10 PLAZA-Lexlnftan Park-Bear Island IPGl 730, 9.30 PLAZA I Annapolis Seams Like Old Times IPG) 7 20. 9:10 PLAZA II Annapolis Nine io Five IPG) 1:05,910 RANOALLSTOWN l-Jair Singer IPG) 7 25, 9 45 RANOALLSTOWN ll-Ragtng Bull (Rl 7, 9 30 RE1ST.

RO. PLAZA I Stir Craiv lR) 130, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30. 9 30 RBIST, RO. PLAZA ll-Scanners IRI 1:45. 3:45.

5:45. 7 45. 9 45 RITCHIE CIN. I New Ord Rd Stir Craiv IRi 7 JO, 9:30 RITCHIE CINEMA II New Ord Rd. -Pvi Benlamin (R) 10 RITCHIE CINEMA Ill-New Ord Rd.

-Bear Island IPG) 7 45. 9 45 ROTUNDA CINEMA I Raging BuH IRI 2, 4:30. 7. 9.30 ROTUNDA CINEMA II -Bear Island IPG) 145.3.45,5.45.7 45.945 SECURITY MALL CIN. I Nine to Five (PG) IJ0 3:35, 5:40.

7:50, 10 SECURITY MALL CIN. II Flash Gordon (PGI 4J0, 7 15, 9 15 SECURITY MALL CIN. Ill-Pvi Ben). SECURITY MALL CIN. IV-Beer Ilia no IPG) 1:45, 3:45, 545, 7:45, 9:45 SENATOR $904 Yerk Rd.

Seems Like Old Times (PG) 2, 4, I. 10 STRAND Dundalk Mirror Crack'd IPG) Mldnite Jimi Journey TIMONIUM CINEMA I-Yerk Jlir Craiv (Rl 7:45, 9 55 TIMONIUM CIN. II-Yarn Rd. Mirror Crack'd IPO) 3, 4, 4, 1, 10 TIMONIUM CIN. Ill-Yrk Change of Seasons (R) TOWN-W.

PaYetld-Snak Fill vi jQ FIVE aV v. is -the coineay AMUSEMENTS Oregon (R) Hong Kong Connection TOWSON Yarn Rd. Popeye 2. 4 I. 10 midnite show VILLAGE Relsterstewn.

Md. Pvi Benlemin (R) 7. 9 WESTVIEW CIN. I Popeve IPO) 7 45. 10 WESTVIEW CIN.

II Seems Like Od Times (PG) 1, 10 WESTVIEW CIN. Ill the Formula IRI 7.40. 9 40 WESTVIEW CIN. IV Scanners (Rl 7 40 9.40 YOPKRIDGE I The Formula IRI I. 10 YORKRIDGE II Raging Bull IR) 7 430 DRIVE-INS SENGIES-taaMrit BioodonSun EDMONDSON Bit Nt'l Pk-7 Blows Dragon ELKRIDGE Washington Boulevard Closed.

Reopen In Spring RITCHIE Glen Burnie Closed Reopen Friday. SUPER 170 Show AjsaismlRI 1 Blows OraoontR)' EASTERN SHORE MOVIE CALENDAR AVALON Caslan Hoosuicn BOULEVARD Salisbury Anyl Whicn Way You Can IPGl 7, 9 10 OORSET Cambridge Scanners (Rl JOS. 900 MALL CINEMA l-Sallsburv- Seems Like Old Times IPG) 7 9 MALL CINEMA ll-Salilborv- Nine 10 Five IPG) 7:15, 9 IS SUN A SURP l-Ocean City-Closed SUN SURP II Ocean City Any Which Wav You Can IPG) 7 05, 9 to SUN A SURP III Ocean City Nine: to Five IPG) 7.00. 9 00 SUN SURP IV Closed WORLD CIN. I-Slisburv- LasiHouse on LafKR) MioSHrCreiv7 15,9 20 WORLD CIN.

Il-Sallsburv-Bear Is land IPG) fMidniteUplnSmokeiR) WESTERN MARYLAND MOVIE CALENDAR CARROLL Westminster Scanners (Rl CENTER Levale Any Which Way You Can (PG) 7 0S, 915 PROSTBURG CIN. l-Froitbure-t lo Mid.DawnofDeadIR) PROSTBURG CIN. II Sllr Craiv (Rl 7 20, 9 30, 12 Mid Flesh Gordon IR) PROSTBURG CIN. Ill-Seems Like Ok) Timet (PO) 12 mid. Pink Floyd IGl LIGHT Cumberland Scanners (Rl 7.05.9 00 PALACE Freitburo Bear Island (PG) TRI-TOWN I Weiternport Bear Island IPG) 7 IS, 915 TRI-TOWN II Westernpert Scanners (R) 7 0S.

9 00 IGl Suggested for general audiences. IPG) All aget admitted (parental guidance tuggested). (R) Restricted persons under II not admitted, unlets accompanied bv parent or adult guardian. IX) Persons under II not admitted. This age restriction may be higher In certein arees.

Check theater or advertising. "One of the ten best movies of 1980!" LouCedrone Craning Surt cheering about' -NPNtORKDAIVfNVtn, KalhMttr) Carrol pretty wonderful year it's Inside Moves." -GOOD MORNING AMERICA, Joel Siegd (COMEDYor MUSICAL) P4 tHeV' AtrY -T'1 of the season. 1: ivn 'TTTri Tr iHtfTJh V. BELTWAY PLAZA 7636 Belair Rd Exit 32 665 2928 Carroll Island CARROLLWOOO Bowlayt Qtrs. Rdl 33S-8SOO CHURCH LAKE CINEMA Church Lane Plaza At York Rd.

667 8151 MINI-FUCK Hikesvllla, Exit 20 South 853-1177 cy jO ml 4f If jfrrmrmiMnmrnmir ntutmrmmw nm inia -i i awiiw im hi iiHiliiiilimlilViii i iimira ill RITCHIE CINEMA Ritchu Hwy it Nw Ordmnct 76B 3440 SECURITY MALL CINEMA Beltway Exit 1 7 265-6911 TWO IAITW08E WEWHH from the Nw German Cindma BRUNO GANZ KNIFE IN THE HEAD 9 35 PETER HANDKE'S THE IEFT HANDS) WOMAN 7:30 15:00 MULTIPLE MANIACS (X) Kti duiuATF i BENJAMIN Eve 7.1 Pni Met. Sail Sun 2 PM Mourwooo I VIlUGt Sutter Se. II Itliltrtlewtl I Brrea Ivt Irlelat, Ml. llillw. tm.

Ctr. mj mi 13)1)44 i-SMbeJ I Mi mm Mmmfm mt ww ar JANE FONDA ULYTOMLIN DOLLY PARTON AN IPC FILMS PRODUCTION OF A COLIN H1CGINS PICTURE NINE TO FIVE DABNEY COLEMAN- ELIZABETH WILSON' and STERLING HAYDEN as The Chairman of the Board Produced by BRUCE GILBERT Directed by COLIN HIGGINS Screenplay by COLIN HIGGINS and PATRICIA RESNICK Story by PATRICIA RESNICK ira i nirrr is movie is a gem: imuraa MS, love on the Randallstown Twin l-taMv O'rt (okt 4 York Road Opui EXCliJsTvEl SECURITY MALL CINEMA BrtrtwHY fait 17 265-8911 PG PARfNTAL GUIDANCE UGGSTtO CL tOM aurtaiu tut nor at surruu 'o Rocks' hWeek! Music by CHARLES FOX COLOR BY Mf Witt "I ta te RCA aveertl Mi TiHt tt4 cwx si O'Hiiiel lH4lrit CentaryJai Hissiii wa eas CINEMA im RO. opt sttttts gum tit-Hia Mf It laatpen Hall 5151 DELUXE tttl VfftB IM4M4 iOCK itat Twtinifm cummrm mm cuAin uau Itllwti tut 17 75 till THE MOVIES C0LDEN KINS MAIL S' 1331 HAAfORO MALL C1KEMA ItllK 131 If II THE EVENING SUN For Convenient Home Delivery Call 539-1280. JT 4JO0 JJp.r!".