Theater Reviews
“Almost Mata Hari tackles issues such as loss, betrayal and guilt, but Dorepaal’s wit and timing strike the ideal balance with lightness and laughter. Self-effacing humor, dark comedy, impromptu witticisms and hilarious impersonations add yet more color to this kaleidoscopic tribute to love, truth and creativity. I thought I knew about Mata Hari. Now, I do." - Theater Pizzazz, New York - Lisa Reitman-Dobi
-Embodiment of magical thinking
"Dorrepaal brings to life two women so exquisitely individuated that the memory of this magnetic, one-woman play lingers as though performed by a diverse, brilliant cast. As Ava, Dorepaal emanates a sweetness, her features softening with memory, her trusting affect poised to believe. Her Ava is the embodiment of magical thinking. She radiates a light, effectively bringing sunshine into a basement room."
- Theater Pizzazz - Lisa Reitman-Dobi
-A vulnerable dreamer plagued by darkness
"Conversely, Dorrepaal’s Mata Hari is unequivocally tough, a self-assured and self-defined femme fatale. Her portrayal of Mata Hari is so meticulous that in this hard-hitting trailblazer, one can detect profound yearning, singular loneliness, and deep, deep wounds. Mata Hari too, carries her own brand of magical thinking: a protective shield for a vulnerable dreamer plagued by darkness."
- Theater Pizzazz - Lisa Reitman-Dobi
-True to life in the face of dangerous love
"...in Dorrepaal, we see a range of emotion pass across her face in a small time span. Sometimes she looks beautiful, other times tormented. This shape-shifting of emotion seems more true to life in the face of dangerous love, which heightens the senses so that desire, fear and uncertainty exist simultaneously."
-OffOffOnline - Nicole Colbert
-Fascinating, sexy costume changes
"Fascinating, sexy costume changes (Diana Gentlemen) create the different events in Mata Hari's spicy life which perfectly complement her flamboyant personality and are portrayed deliciously by Ms. Dorrepaal."
-Hi!Drama - Kristin Hardwick
Photo: Hal Weiner
Ava: "Do you think I confuse charisma with psychosis?"