A Taste of Honey: cultural context

‘A Taste of Honey’: Cultural Context

A Taste of Honey was written by Shelagh Delaney in 1958 and is considered to be part of the ‘kitchen sink’ drama genre.
This genre was characterized by its focus on the domestic and working-class lives in post-war Britain, contrasting the often middle- or upper-class characters depicted in theatre at the time.
The play appealed to a growing post-war audience looking for real and relatable narratives.

‘A Taste of Honey’ discusses social issues such as class, gender, race, and sexuality.
The play offers a perspective on the lives of a single mother, Helen, and her daughter, Jo, who navigate society together.
Various themes emerge through the characters, like racism which appears through the character of Jo’s African-American sailor boyfriend, Jimmy.
The play also tackles sexual orientation through the character of Geoffrey, Jo’s homosexual friend.

The backdrop of post-war Britain is key in this play as a time of austerity and economic hardship, and is evident in the characters’ living conditions.
The industrial North, where the play is set, is crucial to the play’s context representing working-class life, industrial decline, and urban squalor.
The play’s setting and characters play a large role in setting the realist tone that focuses on the nature of relationships and personal experiences.

Delaney aimed to challenge societal norms of the time, bringing marginalised subjects to the forefront of theatre.
The themes, setting, and characters in ‘A Taste of Honey’ are interwoven to reflect the struggles, realities, and resilience of working-class people in post-war Britain.