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Trying to finish this before getting into 03.
Stuck on last four:
26a British poet failing to start (7) BASS N
17d Getting up, girl has square meal (4) SA??
20d Hands in action in forts (4) A HS
25d Died seconds after imbibing spirit (5) DR U S
Two could be purely thematic, otherwise an extra letter in thematic.
Only have four of the six without definition.
As for the message - can't really see what's going on:
S--PIH?C?ARIN?ETREPRESENT--
ST??CATTHE?O?F????EWTEN?HEDUCK
Any helpful hints appreciated!

bassoon and drums?

May be way off beam as no definitions are apparent-
Sassoon not starting + B for British - Bassoon?
D- died +s seconds + rum = drums?

Thanks trevor + ab - big help.
Have full grid and 6 without def. but still struggling with that message... grrr!

Long shot - Peter and the Wolf? - In it, clarinet represents the cat , oboe the duck etc?

I'd never of got that.
I'll google it and see if I can make it work.
Thanks again ab