Mission of Flowers (Australia)

Mission of Flowers at Theatre Asylum
by Ashley Steed~

“In life there are winners and losers. No in-betweens.” For pioneer aviator Bill Lancaster, he certainly wasn’t a winner; but after seeing Mission of Flowers by Gerry Greenland, I don’t think anyone would have the heart to say he was a loser. Based on a true story, the play chronicles Lancaster’s plane crash in the middle of the Sahara and incidents in his life leading up to that point. Stranded with little water and a journal, Lancaster writes to his mother and the aviatrix Jessie “Chubbie” Miller – the love of his life.
After an accident, business failure and a murder accusation – it seems his dream of making aviation history will never come to fruition. Thus his Mission of Flowers is his last chance to make it.

This is truly a gem in aviation history. Under the helm of Damien Lay, Leof Kingsford-Smith masterfully maneuvers through the one-man show. Coincidentally, Kingsford-Smith is the great-nephew of aviator Charles Kingsford-Smith whose ill-fated plane was sold to Lancaster. A clear sign that this was meant to be.

Even though the set consists of a wing tip, a journal and a canister of water, the simplicity allows for the imagination to flourish. Kingsford-Smith, unlike Lancaster, is undeniably a winner.

Mission of Flowers plays at Theatre Asylum June 17 at 2:30 PM; June 18, 24 at 4:00 PM; June 19, 20, 27 at 1:00 PM; June 21, 23 at 8:30 PM; June 25, 26 at 7:00 PM