J.B. Priestley sets the play in a lavish and happy environment. Without Priestley even telling the audience that the play is set pre war it is obvious because of all the available luxuries and fineries such as 'champagne glasses' and 'dessert plates'. The war caused great shortages in goods and food, which led to rationing. No one in 1945 (when the play was written) would have been able to create a luxuriant celebratory dinner. This cunning use of setting deliberately reminds the audience of some of the luxuries lost because of the war.
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