Having played to sold out houses last year leaving scores of ticket seekers frowning pitifully on Bridgman Avenue with no hope of securing a seat, Hannah Moscovitch’s East of Berlin makes a valiant return to Tarragon Theatre this month.

It’s a poignant story that permits personal pasts and painful truths to collide as layers of dark humour titillate and stupefy.

The remount marks the first time Brendan Gall has professionally tackled the same show twice. He didn’t know what to expect approaching the material again after a successful run that garnered him critical praise. But the actor quickly discovered that the foundation of the original production remained in place and that a second staging has allowed himself and fellow cast members Diana Donnelly and Paul Dunn to deepen their exploration of the playwright’s themes in ways not achievable the first time around.

Brendan Gall was exposed to the story and the frameworking of his character, Rudi, from Hannah Moscovitch’s earliest strokes at the keyboard which may be attributed to his ability to slide into the role with the greatest of ease.

Not all entertainers can speak for from the gut as freely as Brendan Gall yet the actor has no difficulty reflecting on how well the show has been received, Rudi’s complicated journey in the play, and his thoughts on the playwright that has brought it all together for audiences.