| TAKEABACKSEAT | Go to rear of theatre and play second fiddle |
| DRAMATIC | Of the theatre and plays (8) |
| BOWANDSCRAPE | To show deference, say, play second fiddle with diminishing level of skill |
| DECIDEDLY | Clearly play second fiddle to marshal, abandoning plans of rebelling (9) |
| ACCOMPANY | Play second fiddle to, in a way |
| PREDICTED | Told when to play second fiddle? (9) |
| CONDUCTED | Told when to play second fiddle? (9) |
| ABACK | Take ___ seat (play second fiddle): 2 wds. |
| FIRSTVIOLIN | He won't play second fiddle (5,6) |
| PANEL | Review body, perhaps, to criticise closures of theatre and hospital |
| GROUCHO | Nickname of Julius Henry Marx, a star of theatre and films (7) |
| EYEBALL | Turns up, two lines at Abbey empty at back of theatre and in sight of the viewer (7) |
| GLOBEARTICHOKE | Blooming head of theatre and choir take off |
| PERFORMINGARTS | Description of theatre and music person creating star, possibly (10,4) |
| DONE | Managed to get into rear of theatre |
| HESITATE | Hang back with chap and take seat at rear of theatre (8) |
| QUITESO | Leave rear of theatre this way, of course |
| PITSTOPS | Top tips to play second breaks of service |
| REPENTANCE | Runs out of door at rear of theatre, sorry this is being shown (10) |
| INNATE | Tavern at rear of theatre that's been there since day one (6) |
