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Both very difficult and very enjoyable - the two don’t always go together. I found the character changes in the accross clues particularly difficult. Some I had to reverse engineer after finishing the puzzle.
All done now but one residual issue. I cannot work out the full wordplay for pre-jumbled 30a. I can see a street dance around I but cannot get any further than that.

Look up the remaining letters in the BRB, Smithsax, as a prefix, and they will explain where the rest of the wordplay comes from

Cockie: study the work from the across clues

And read the preamble very carefully

kindred2 - do i have to read the whole play (which I have on my shelves) or is the quotation in ODQ sufficient? I've thought about that quote already, since it deals specifically with an necessary inclusion, but have not found such thought productive.

You are where I was a few hours ago. Keep going, you should be good with the ODQ.

Could someone help me with the wordplay for the four/eight consecutive letters in 17? Or failing that tell me whether the unique letter of the three unches comes first, second or third in the entry?

23a is driving me insane(r). The letters I have (in alphabetical order) are AAIIMORST, and must include an L, and if my 8 letter bit is right, another S. I cannot find any word (with an additional letter) that comes up on Chambers word wizard.

Ukridge, think of an 8 letter verb for pets (not animals) and substitute a letter for master for a letter for eccentricity (I think)

Ukridge, use E for M is a word for pets (caresses), that covers the 3 unches.