Cheap deeds performed now and then in dark place (5)
I believe the answer is:
hades
'place' is the definition.
(I have seen 'gloomy place' mean 'hades' so perhaps 'place' could also mean 'hades')
'cheap deeds performed now and then in dark' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'now' could be 'ad' (AD, Anno Domini, as opposed to BC, Before Christ) and 'ad' is found within the answer.
The remaining letters 'hes' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for hades that I've seen before include "Classic hell in the shade" , "Home of the souls of the dead" , "It's classical hell in the shade" , "Infernal situation" , "Inferno" .)