HOT on the heels of the Ralph Wilson Day at Gorman Arts Centre today, May 28, a trio of collaborators of the late Canberra director, have come together to reprise his 1985 production of two plays in a twilight season of Chekhov at Smiths Alternative.

It also marks the 25th anniversary of the late Canberra director’s death in 1994.

Liz Bradley, Wilson’s former pupil when he was headmaster of Canberra High School, and since a well-known director and actor, directs two veterans of Canberra theatre, John Cuffe and Phillip Mackenzie.

In 1985 Mackenzie collaborated with Wilson in presenting a unique adaptation of two of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov’s comic sketches (“Smoking is Bad for you” and “Swansong”) in a lunchtime performance.

The two sketches are frequently presented together but Mackenzie and Wilson added a twist in their version: in which the ageing repertory actor, Svetlovidov, takes the role of the brow-beaten Nyutkin purportedly carrying out his wife’s instructions to lecture on the evils of tobacco.

This is the old actor’s final appearance – his Swansong – after 45 years on the stage. After the back-stage farewell party, the hungover Svetlovidov awakes to find himself alone in the dark theatre.

He is soon joined by the theatre’s resident prompter, Nikita, played by John Cuffe; together, they act out excerpts from Svetlovidov’s imagined Shakespearian “triumphs” – King Lear, Hamlet and Othello and, in typical Chekhovian style, reconcile themselves to the inevitability of old age.

Bradley acted in many of Wilson’s productions, most notably in “Mother Courage”. She is a founding member Pigeonhole Theatre, with whom she travelled to Monte Carlo last year in “Playhouse Creatures” and is known for her prizewinning production of “Angels in America” by Tony Kushner.

Cuffe is a London-trained actor who has worked professionally in UK, Middle East and around Australia. He acted with Wilson in many productions for the Australian Theatre Workshop, Theatre ACT, PITS, Rawil, and other independent productions.

Mackenzie first acted for Wilson in his “Macbeth” for Canberra Rep in the Riverside Theatre and played  in many of Wilson’s productions for Rep, RAWIL and independent productions, collaborating with him on readings of Patrick White plays and in the productions of the Classical Theatre Ensemble.

Chekhov at Smiths Alternative, 76 Alinga Street Civic, 5.30pm, Wednesday and Thursday, May 29 and 30. Bookings to smithsalternative.com