Kitchen Sink Realism

Kitchen sink realism is a term coined to describe a British cultural movement that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s in theatre, art, novels, film and television plays, whose protagonists usually could be described as "angry young men" who were disillusioned with modern society.

It used a style of social realism, which depicted the domestic situations of working class Britons, living in cramped rented accommodation and spending their off-hours drinking in grimy pubs, to explore controversial social and political issues ranging from abortion to homelessness. The harsh, realistic style contrasted sharply with the escapism of the previous generation's so-called "well-made plays".

As a movement, it evolved primarily due to the rise of educated working class writers, artists and actors emerging from the post-war reforms of British society, including the education system, which opened up opportunities to those previously excluded from it.

Kitchen sink realism has become one of the defining characteristics of UK cinema, with film-makers from Ken Loach and Mike Leigh through to Andrea Arnold and Shane Meadows working in and reinventing its conventions. Matthew Anderson reports on a very British contribution to world cinema.

There are four other Kitchen Sink styles, Conspiracy Kitchen Sink, Fantasy Kitchen Sink, Kitchen Sink Included and Weapons Kitchen Sink but these are not to be confused with Kitchen Sink Realism and despite being sometimes referred to as "Social Realism", this genre is not to be confused with Socialist Realism either.

 

 

 

http://www.thedramateacher.com/kitchen-sink-drama/

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/KitchenSinkDrama

http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/features/where-begin-kitchen-sink-dramas

http://www.bbc.co.uk/culture/story/20150828-kitchen-sink-realism-britain-as-it-really-is