teacup and saucer

Definitions

A type of 19th-century English comedy pioneered by T. W. Robertson, characterised by natural dialogue and down-to-earth, domestic settings.

attributive, uncountable

Examples

“If a Drama is bold and romantic, it is unnatural, it does not resemble⟳ Life. If, on the other hand, it resembles Life very much, it is commonplace, it is of the “teacup and saucer” order⟳, it has no morale, no bearing on questions of moral sewage and drainage.”

“In his youth [Clement Scott] was among the revolutionaries who rallied around the teacup-and-saucer comedy; in his age he was a likable and vigorous reactionary.”

“He did not care very much for Wilde’s teacup-and-saucer drama but thought it went over well and was likely to be a success […]”

CEFR level