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A tricky solve, but the central column and the alternating letters of the bottom row direct me to a classic image. But then I'm a bit stuck. i can trace one relevant time span in the left-hand half of the grid (the mirror-image cells in the right-hand half give me NINE MORE T(D), which means nothing to me. I can't see the parties involved. Any suggestions?
This week, as rather often recently, the EV is more of a challenge than the Listener.

I too have solved all the clues, completed the grid and understood the bottom row. I have found a couple of related surnames, one on each side of the grid but no relevant time span which makes me rather itchy and quite tetchy.

Ah yes, I can see those two names -- can't think why I'd missed the one on the left, as I was specifically looking for that one.

The scene seems to have led to a scene between the two names. There's one time period in the left-hand half, relevant to the scene, and one 3/28ths as long in the right-hand side ending in the central column which is relevant to the two names. The second one would give 22 highlighted cells. The only title I can think of is a singular from a later work.

Is the time period on the left above the surname on the left?
I think it is not in a straight line. Surely it can't be YEAR which makes an L-shape?

The period I had in the left-hand side follows a wiggly path, with the YEAR you found at the end (or just a kinked path if the H instead of the R is used as the second entry in the central column -- whereas the shorter period on the right uses the H -- is this the point?).

I couldn't find the longer time period in a straight line because I had made the central column into single letters that make a relevant phrase. I only had the H below the T. I am still not sure what the puzzle’s triply significant alternative six-letter title is.

There is an obvious connection between her best friends and his playing area

Help please with :
37/38 To scribble complete line in lay, I've sober story holding sway (6;6)

For 38 doodle would fit and for 37 I have ?I?TE? ?? but I can't parse 16d either ... think the word has defn "relating to new beginnings"

Doodle and titter (TT inside tier) I've is extra word