Punishing the children for the sins of the father. That’s the theme of Alberta Theatre Projects’ second cornerstone play of the season: East of Berlin by Hannah Moscovitch, the current playwright-in-residence at Toronto’s notorious Tarragon Theatre, where the play premièred in October of last year to rave reviews. (So much so that it is scheduled for a remount at the Tarragon from January 6 to February 1, 2009.) The play centres on Rudi, a young German man who grew up in Paraguay in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Unbeknownst to him, Rudi is the son of a Nazi. Don’t worry, I’m not spoiling anything. Moscovitch’s script is full of surprises, twists and turns; simultaneously humorous and heartbreaking as it poses the question: What would you do if you discovered your father was on the wrong side of one of the most horrific events of the 20th century?

Give yourself some time to think about it. This is exactly what the play is intending to provoke. “Part of the experience of the play is the discussion afterward,” says ATP’s artistic director Bob White, who will be directing the play in his final season with the company. “It is telling the story from the point of view of the son. The brilliance is the situation of it, giving the play a real presence and drive. We develop a strange sort of compassion for him. What happens when you love your father, and he’s a war criminal?”

As heavy as it sounds, it’s not all intense, penetrating, psychological questions. East of Berlin boasts a beautiful contrast between the light and the dark. “It’s a bit of a punch in the gut, but there is opportunity for humour,” says White.

Given that this play deals with characters and events far removed from this day and age — and this part of the world — why is it important for Calgarians to see this play? “This story has to be told and must be told for every generation. Genocide continues. It happens, and we let it happen,” says White.

Moscovitch says the conception of East of Berlin was born out of research for another play she was writing at the time. “I was reading holocaust literature for another play, and I came across this book,” she tells me over the phone from Toronto. The book was Born Guilty: Children of Nazi Families by Peter Sichrovsky. “The interviewer was Jewish, and what was so interesting to me, was the subtext of descendents of Nazis being across the table from the children of survivors.” She says that Toronto has a large Jewish community, which forced her to consider how the play would be received. “I worried a little bit. The play was heavily attended by the Jewish community, and they were very positive.”

Taking on the complex character of Rudi is a tremendous task for any young actor. Rylan Wilkie, who received a Betty Mitchell Aaward in 2006 for his portrayal of Vincent Van Gogh in Vincent in Brixton, is up to the challenge. It also offers him the chance to work on a play written by a friend from his days at the National Theatre School. “We would joke about him being in one of my plays someday, and now he is,” says Moscovitch. Filling out the youthful cast is David Beazely (Hippies and Bolsheviks, ATP’s playRites ’06) and Rebecca Auerbach, who will be making her debut with the company.