Stage Drama

Today, in the 20th Century, it is a commonly known fact in Australia, and throughout the rest of the world, that Aborigines were mistreated from since western culture first settled, and for many years after that. It is the main purpose of stage dramas to bring issues, such as the one mentioned above, and ideas about these issues to life through dramatic performances and the use of a number of various techniques. No Sugar, a revisionist text written by Jack Davis in 1985, is one of these stage dramas. Jack Davis brings issues and even expresses his own ideas about issues such as the injustices of Aboriginal treatment during the 1930’s, to life in No Sugar very well because No Sugar is a revisionist text, and therefore offers a new perspective of an Aboriginal point of view, on events which occurred during the time of the issue at hand.

No Sugar, the revisionist stage drama written by Jack Davis, is about the mistreatment of Aborigines in Australia during the 1930’s. More specifically, it is about the Millimurra family, and their struggle against white ‘protection’ and being treated like objects in their own land. The stage drama is mainly set in Northam, and Moore River, in Western Australia. Davis explored issues surrounding the treatment of Aborigines during this period, and reflects his own ideas about these issues.

One issue that is highlighted about this period in No Sugar is how Aborigines were discriminated against, for no reason other than having coloured skin. An example of this is in Act One, Scene One, when Cissie is complaining because when her and her brother go to buy apples they get given bad, shrivelled up ones, and the white children get big, juicy ones.

“Aw Mum, Old Tony the ding always sells us little shrivelled ones and them wetjala kids big fat ones.” Act I, Sc. (i). Page 16.

Davis uses dramatic techniques to bring his ideas about issues like this to life. In this example, he uses dialogue and, in a way, characterisation. He uses dialogue to make the reader feel sympathetic towards Cissie because of the desperation in her voice when she says ‘fat’ during her description of the apples the white children were sold. Characterisation is also mildly used in this example, making ‘Old Tony’ seem unjust and cruel to children, which creates an emotive response in the reader, already forcing them to dislike whites and the way they treated Aborigines.

Davis’ idea about discrimination is that it should be overrun by justice. He brings this idea to life using characterisation, more specifically, the character of Jimmy. Jimmy Munday is one of the more outspoken characters in No Sugar. He is characterised as the activist and lone Aboriginal voice that constantly challenges dominant white principles for justice. He constantly rebels against the prejudiced attitude towards Aborigines. He will commonly sacrifice himself to reveal racism in white authority, in the end being the martyr to the Aboriginal cause of justice, and dying in an act of patriotism towards his people

Another big issue that is explored in No Sugar is assimilation, the eliminating of one culture or race by absorbing it into another. This happened a lot in Australia in relation to Aborigines, with their women being forced to have intercourse with white men, and their children being taken away and murdered, so as to eliminate their colour and to abolish all traces of their culture. Davis evidently believes that assimilation does not work, and at its worst causes hopelessness, confusion, and loss of identity. An example of this is the destruction of Billy’s tribe, and the way that, although they were, in one way or another, assimilated into white society, their culture still lives on. This is shown when Billy, Bluey, Jimmy and Sam were still singing and dancing like they used to before they were assimilated into white society.

SAM: [Pointing to Billy’s body paint] Eh! Eh! Old man, what’s that one?

BILLY: This one bungarra, an’ he lookin’ for berry bush.

Act II. Sc. (vi).

Again, dialogue is used to dramatise and make real the issue presented in the text. After Billy’s dialogue about how his tribe was murdered the reader is compelled to feel sorry for him, and admire his determination to go on living.

Assimilation not working is also shown when Billy and Bluey are preparing for the Australia Day celebrations.

“BILLY KIMBERLY and BLUEY, dressed in new but absurdly ill-fitting uniforms…”

Act IV Sc. (v). Page 96.

Davis uses symbolism in the above example to show how assimilation doesn’t work.