Cryptic crossword No 929

Hi Maya, I thought I'd give one of yours a go. Particularly enjoyed 9a, 10a, 18a, 2d, 17d, 21d, 30d among others. Some a bit convoluted or obscure for my taste, although when I finally twigged to the theme a few pennies dropped and helped me parse the clues. I find it helpful to have annotated solutions included with a puzzle so I can resolve lingering questions about the setter's intent after solving (or not...). Thanks for posting this one for me to chew on and digest...

The penny finally dropping on the theme was helpful for me too - I really enjoy the thematic denseness of your puzzles and liked how it worked in this one (I am pro-27d as a life choice). Enjoyed 24d, 30d, 23d, 5a; still wondering about 1a and 8d!