Kpfa - Bay Area Theater

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “The Tale of Despereaux” at Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theatre through January 5, 2020. Text of review (audio version contains actuality from co-director Marc Bruni and other changes). Most classic fairy tales come down to us through history and the Brothers Grimm. But over the years, there have also been new fairy tales, stories that enchant younger generations, which over time will become classics in their own way. One such story was “The Tale of Despereaux” written by Kate DiCamillo and published in 2003, which went on to win a Newberry Award and was adapted into an animated film in 2007. Now, “The Tale of Despereaux,” which tells the story of a young mouse with big ears, a rat with big ideas, and a kingdom damaged by grief, has become a musical created by the Pig Pen Theatre Company, at Berkeley Rep through January 5th. In translating animated films to the stage, Disney has gone all-out with high tech special effects that could never be duplicated or even attempted in