kitchen-sink drama

English literature

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June 30, 2026

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The term "kitchen-sink drama" in English literature refers to a style that emerged in the late 1950s, primarily in British theater. It is characterized by its focus on the squalid or mundane aspects of modern, working-class life.12

This dramatic tradition, which began with plays like John Osborne's Look Back in Anger (1956), moved away from the comfortable, middle-class themes of the "well-made play". Kitchen-sink dramas often feature realistic portrayals of social issues, emotional rawness, and characters grappling with everyday struggles. Playwrights such as Shelagh Delaney and Arnold Wesker contributed significantly to this movement, bringing authentic working-class experiences to the stage.21

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English literature
Drama
…move toward what critics called “kitchen-sink” drama. Shelagh Delaney (with her one influential play, A Taste of Honey [1958]) and Arnold Wesker (especially in his politically and socially engaged trilogy, Chicken Soup with Barley [1958], Roots [1959], and I’m Talking About Jerusalem [1960]) gave further impetus to this movement, as…
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…move toward what critics called “kitchen-sink” drama. Shelagh Delaney (with her one influential play, A Taste of Honey [1958]) and Arnold Wesker (especially in his politically and socially engaged trilogy, Chicken Soup with Barley [1958], Roots [1959], and I’m Talking About Jerusalem [1960]) gave further impetus to this movement, as…
Read More