SIGNED MATA HARI

IN THE COLD OCTOBER OF 1917 MARGARETHA ZELLE, ALIAS MATA HARI, THE INFAMOUS EXOTIC DANCER, SITS IN A PRISON CELL IN PARIS AWAITING TRIAL ON CHARGES OF ESPIONAGE; THE PENALTY, DEATH BY FIRING SQUAD. AS SHE WAITS, MATA HARI TELLS STORIES - MUCH LIKE SCHEHERAZADE - TO BUY BACK HER LIFE FROM HER INTERROGATORS. FROM A BLEAK CHILDHOOD ON THE SHORES OF THE NORTH SEA, THROUGH A LOVELESS MARRIAGE TO A DUTCH NAVAL OFFICER, MARGARETHA IS TRANSPORTED TO THE SENSUAL PLEASURES OF THE SOUTH SEAS. SHE SPINS TALES OF NATIVE LOVERS AND FRAGRANT JAVANESE JUNGLES; SHE TELLS OF THE UGLY DISINTEGRATION OF HER FAMILY. THEN, IN FLIGHT FROM HER BRUTAL HUSBAND, MARGARETHA REINVENTS HERSELF SHE BECOMES THE TEMPLE DANCER MATA HARI - DRESSED IN VEILS, ADMIRED BY DIAGHILEV, PERFORMING FOR THE CROWNED HEADS OF EUROPE. TENDER, SUBTLE AND INTENSELY EROTIC, MURPHY'S RETELLING OF AN ICONIC STORY IS A HAUNTING PORTRAIT OF LOVE AND TREACHERY.