The play was first performed by the Playhouse Company in association with the Australian Theatre Trust, for the Festival of Perth on 18 February 1985. It also was chosen as a contribution to Expo 86 in Canada "No Sugar" forms the first part of a trilogy, the First Born Trilogy, which also includes the titles "The Dreamers" and "Barungin (Smell the Wind)". The trilogy was first performed by the Melbourne Theatre Company in May 1988 at the Fitzroy Town Hall. The play won the 1987 Western Australian Premiers Award and in 1992 the Kate Challis RAKA Award for Indigenous Playwrights.