Financial Times No. 14,839 by GURNEY

What’s not to like in a puzzle with good surface stories and unambiguous cryptic parsing?

Thanks to Gurney for a very enjoyable puzzle. I did see a smattering of theatrical references in answers and a few people in others. Not sure if some theme of sorts is afoot, if it is, drop a comment.

Definitions in clues marked like this.

* anagram, + charade, – deletion, DD double definition, ~ homophone, H hidden

ACROSS
1 Concern as bread, flaky, found in supermarket equipment? (7,7) BARCODE SCANNER [CONCERN AS BREAD]*
10 Appropriate to accommodate director and European expert (5)  ADEPT [appropriate=APT outside Director + European]
11 Alpha blokes and independent couples give useful services? (9) AMENITIES [Alpha + blokes=MEN + Independent couples=TIES]
12 Quip about girl (strait-laced) (7) PURITAN [quip=PUN outside girl=RITA]
13 Some sail as Calais provides place to sing (2,5) LA SCALA [H]

14 You say old collar’s not smooth? (5) ROUGH [~old collar=RUFF]
16 Using hunch I invite leaders of trade union abroad (9)  INTUITIVE [I INVITE Trade Union]*
19 First letters despatched – notice on return they are missing (9) ABSENTEES [first letters=A B + despatched=SENT + notice=SEE<=]
20 Fast // writer of satire (5) SWIFT [DD]
22 These are merited in uncultivated regions (7) DESERTS [DD] just deserts
25 Top class friend, pure at heart, refusing payment (7) AMATEUR [top class=A + friend=MATE + pURe]
27 Domino unusually in unique Byzantine structure? (5,4) ONION DOME [DOMINO* inside unique=ONE]

28 Good contest to produce melodic decoration (5) GRACE [Good + contest=RACE]
29 Gate enemy slit – I recollected this? (5,9) SIEGE MENTALITY [GATE ENEMY SLIT I]*

DOWN
2 Classes go spare, upbringing extremely bad? (3,6) AGE GROUPS [GO SPARE UpbringinG]*
3 Succeed as good-looker has time for English (3,2) CUT IT [good-looker=CUTIE with Time for English]
4 Popular private investigator breaking cover in Tube (9) DRAINPIPE [popular=IN + Private Investigator inside cover=DRAPE]
5 It could be magical – period (5) SPELL [DD]
6 Is setter meeting detective over joints in nautical location? (9) AMIDSHIPS [is setter=AM I + detective=DS + joints=HIPS]
7 Money needed as interest rates appreciate (only starting) (5) NAIRA [Acrostic]

8 Put on new production of “Set Off in Anger”? (7) RESTAGE [ SET* inside anger=RAGE]
9 Smartly dressed salesman with residence on the rise (6) DAPPER [salesman=REP + residence=PAD]<=
15 Obstruction can rend him almost frantic? (9) HINDRANCE [CAN REND HIm]*
17 Will having last word (ultimately right) after match (9) TESTAMENT [match=TEST + last word=AMEN + righT]
18 Travelling one can start to encounter speech that’s loud (9) ITINERANT [one=1 + can=TIN + Encounter + speech that’s loud=RANT]
19 Hard to endure, gutted after pair overlook America (7) ARDUOUS [AfteR + pair=DUO + America=US]
21 Painter conveying change of direction with hesitation (6) TURNER [change of direction=TURN + hesitation=ER]

23 Son sanctimonious about church feature? (5) SPIRE [Son + sanctimonious=PIous + about=RE]
24 High point in London area – somewhere to spend (5) STORE [high point=TOR inside London area=SE]
26 Heading off, called the Spanish lady (very kind) (5) ANGEL [called=rANG + the Spanish=EL]