No Sugar by Jack Davis in HSC Drama

Jack Davis’s No Sugar follows the Millimurra family as government authorities control where they live and what they receive. In a drama response, choose a specific exchange and show how blocking, levels, voice or distance can make power visible to the audience. The play was a prescribed option in the 2024 HSC Drama paper.

Worked example

Rehearse a ration-distribution exchange. In one version, have an official sit behind a desk and place the family in a line at a distance. In a second, leave the stage open and move the actors closer together. Hold the dialogue constant so the differences come from the use of space.

Compare how each version shapes the audience’s view of authority and how the family’s responses express resistance. Use a specific moment from your script and an observation from the rehearsal. For the 2024 question, build the comparison with a second play as the task requires. Check the prescribed list for your own exam year.

Choose a key dramatic moment. Change distance and blocking. Explain what the audience notices.

No Sugar by Jack Davis in HSC Drama

Worked example

Official exam practice