Across:
1 Directors are to blame for this poorly performing company (BAD MANAGEMENT) of dreadful (BAD) fellow (man = MAN-) workers (-MEN-) in Gate (gate) production (= anagram indicator) (gate = AGE-T) (BAD MANAGEMENT),
10 I ran away from Australians (‘I ran’ away from ‘Australians’ = austlas = ASSAULT) in Rush (rush/attack = ASSAULT),
11 One (I-) train (train = -N-RTIA) going around Spain (-E-) (INERTIA) is synonymous with those doing nothing (INERTIA),
12 Turkish neighbour (IRAN) of characters in taxi ranks (characters in ‘taxI RANks’ = IRAN),
13 Old master dismisses arts (‘old master’ dismisses ‘arts’ = oldme = MODEL) produced by Lisa del Giocondo, for one, in the Mona Lisa (Lisa del Giocondo was the ‘model’ for the Mona Lisa = MODEL),
15 On the level (FAIR) hidden by Wisteria Frutescens (hidden by ‘wisteRIA Frutescens’ = riaf) going all the way around (= reverse indicator) (riaf = FAIR),
17 Sign of approval (NOD), not quite from 21 across (not quite ‘asleep’ = NOD),
19 Soft (softly = piano = P-) medley (= anagram indicator) tune (tune = -UN-ET) about Lennon ultimately (‘lennoN’ ultimately = -N-) (PUNNET) carried from ‘Strawberry Fields…’ (PUNNET),
21 Turns up (= reverse indicator), secretary (PA = A-P) consumes fish (eels = -SLEE-) (ASLEEP) on a night out? (ASLEEP),
22 Wild (= anagram indicator) cougar (cougar = COURAG-) with huge tail (‘hugE’ tail = -E) (COURAGE) and backbone (COURAGE),
23 Diner (EATERY) from steelyard drops LSD (‘steelyard’ drops ‘LSD’ = teeyar = EATERY),
25 A lot missing from alternator (‘a lot’ missing from ‘alternator’ = ternar = ERRANT) – it that why one is off course? (ERRANT),
27 Poor quality (BAD) from all sides today (BAD on all sides of today’s grid),
29 Every so often disregarding everyone (‘every so often’ disregarding ‘everyone’ = soft = SOFT) is not hard (SOFT),
30 Small craft (KAYAK) that can go back and forth (= palindrome indicator/spelling the same in reverse) on the water? (KAYAK),
31 Against (versus = V-) old (-O-) soldier (Lieutenant = Lt = -LT) (VOLT) from battery unit (VOLT),
34 Kind of festival (OPEN AIR) of opera in (opera in) trouble (= anagram indicator) (opera in = OPEN AIR),
35 Showing off (BRAVADO) stout (brave) with no head (e) (‘brave’ without ‘e’ = BRAV-) at a (-A-) party (-DO) (BRAVADO),
36 Wicked (BAD) relation (CONNECTION) (BAD CONNECTION) won’t get a ring with this? (won’t get a ring on a telephone from a BAD CONNECTION).
Down:
2 Bats in a (bats in a) building (= anagram indicator) (bats in a = ABSTAIN) – don’t touch them (ABSTAIN),
3 Local bash (local ‘bash’ = maul – MAUL) serving up (= reverse indicator) some Kahlua mudslide (some ‘kahLUA Mudslide’ = luam = MAUL),
4 Pleas from Neapolitans (‘pleas’ from ‘Neapolitans’ = noitan = NATION) in Italy, for one (NATION),
5 Steered (GUIDED) Escort (escort = GUIDE-) on back road? (back ‘roaD’ = -D) (GUIDED),
6 Mae West was missing (‘Mae West’ ‘was’ missing/without ‘was’ = meet = MEET) competition (MEET),
7 Leading character (leading ‘Character’ = -C-) in Austen (Austen = NUT-ASE) novel (= anagram indicator) (Austen = NUT-ASE) (NUTCASE) with cuckoo (NUTCASE),
8 Graduate (BA-) gets degree? (-D) And the mark (mark/impression = IMPRESSION) (BAD IMPRESSION) … what you’d expect from a class clown who’s no good as copying others! (BAD IMPRESSION),
9 Awful name (BAD REPUTATION) for black-hearted (BAD) Oriental (East = -E-) plant (put = -PUT-) in allotment (ration = R-ATION) (BAD REPUTATION),
14 Upset (= reverse indicator), cross (rood = DOOR-) and losing the head (s) with guide (sway) (‘sway’ without ‘s’ = -WAY) (DOORWAY) – that’s what you have to go through to get into The House! (DOORWAY),
16 Criticise (DECRY) writer (Ed) upsetting (= reverse indicator) (Ed = DE-) Bellow (bellow/yell = -CRY) (DECRY),
18 Kind of manual (USERS manual) for draft-dodging fraudsters (‘draft’ dodging ‘fraudsters’ = users = USERS),
20 Play with (TOY with) breeds from oyster bed (‘breeds’ from ‘oyster bed’ = oyt = TOY),
21 A question on the census (AGE) for half the spies? (half the ‘AGEnts’ = AGE),
24 Unfolds (= reversal indicator) oily (fat = TAF-) cheese (-FETA) (TAFFETA) from a cloth with a silky, crispy texture (TAFFETA),
26 One of The Greens (AVOCADO) produced a (A-) singer’s recording (vocal) that’s cut short (l) (‘vocal’ without ‘l’ = -VOCA-) by party (-DO) (AVOCADO),
27 Desert (BARREN) watering hole (BAR-) near gambling city (Reno) is unfinished (o) (‘Reno’ without ‘o’ = -REN) (BARREN),
28 Serving up (= reverse indicator) 27 across (‘bad’ = DAB-) with starters of battered lemon (starters of ‘Battered Lemon’ = -BL-) sole at the foundation? (‘solE’ at the foundation = -E) (DABBL) Take a dip! (DABBLE),
32 Soft white-grey material (TALC) found in Oriental carpets (in ‘orienTAL Carpets’ = TALC),
33 It’s free from tree farm (it’s ‘free’ from ‘tree farm’ = tram = MART) or shopping centre? (MART).