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You’ve a treat in store, Mack. Some time ago (shortly after the end of the Napoleonic wars, more or less) I appeared in the premiere of a stage adaptation in a small venue at the Edinburgh Fringe. The highlight - and both the beginning and end - of my dramatic career…..

This puzzle left me wondering whether setters should be allowed more unchecked cells. For most of the time, until I had virtually completed the puzzle, I had entries such as 28 down with only two checkable cells, which made parts of the grid a bit harder, though still doable. When there are few unchecked cells, it is often easy to guess a word and then parse the clue, rather than solving the clue properly.

Thanks Dimitry, some very tricky clues.
All done, just missing the relevance of the title.

Jack @ 59

I've read 'The Third Policeman', a stunning piece of writing with imagery that stays with me to this day. I shall look into his 'pair of sailors', thanks.

SimpleSimon, my explanation of the title is it's the first letters of successive words of the phrases, reading upwards. Coincidentally, it also appears in two entries.

Thanks Mack. Agree with your conclusion. It would have been more elegant if it had been consistent, but no complaints.

It would help me if someone could confirm I have the right letters for 35ac. Badly stuck.
?i?e?ate?

That’s correct

Thanks. I see the parsing now

Hi there. Ive completed everything (i think correctly) but cant see the last 16 word entry or finish the 3 letter words. Is the last long entry an anagram? if so then I think i have it- otherwise quite stuck!