Cirrus@Austlit

 (Introduction)

Sugarman is a 'work in progress', a cross-cultural community performance/demonstration of sacred art, music, and theatre from Central Australia that was conceived as a response to Aboriginal people asking for the 'story of grog' (alcohol) to help them understand and heal substance abuse and dependence.

A poetic adaptation by community psychologist and Jungian analyst Craig San Roque (set to music and movement) of the Greek myth of Dionysos, Sugarman explores issues of separation, desire, addiction, madness, and the healing to be found at the core of the human psyche.

A documentary on the Sugarman project, which was developed in order to reeducate Aboriginal and other Australians whose lives were being destroyed by alcohol. The Sugarman concept was created by Craig San Roque and Andrew Spencer Japaljarri. It uses public performance of a new 'dreamtime' story to demonstrate the consequences of alcohol abuse and to encourage people to take responsibility for its effect on their personal lives, their families, and their communities. The documentary was filmed at Injartnama, in Central Australia, where the 1999 performance of Sugarman took place.