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The name of the drama isn't actually in the grid.
(Apart from the thing drawn by the shape of the octagon, I think.)

The eponym is the name of the drama.
27D describes the eponym and is a massive help.

You might well guess, I cannot solve 27d. I have H???OT?E. Am I remotely near?

yes, you are

would you like a nudge?

The only way I could get the drama was to draw the shape and think of the most obvious 6 letter thing it looked like. It does work. And it is not a princess. Which I wasted an hour on Wikipedia hunting down ('1890s drama with princess' etc).

barista, at which cell does the shape (name) begin?

I do need a nudge please nelson

jogamel,
27D is a noun, describing someone who has been put under the influence of another person.

. . . and the Eponym becomes one at various points in the drama.

Nelson I can't remember now for certain but I think it is the uppermost in the grid.