Contemporary TV thriller ‘Thirteen Steps Down’ is mid-way through a five week shoot on location in London and Dublin. Based on the Ruth Rendell novel, the two-part psychological thriller is being produced by Ireland’s Parallel Films under commission from ITV.
It has been using locations around Dublin and Wicklow over the last two-and-a-half weeks and is scheduled to continue shooting in Ireland for at least one more week.
Locations which have so far been used in Dublin include The Rise, Mount Merrion; Broadford Park, Ballinteer; Beacon Court, Sandyford; Belgrave Square, Monkstown; Cranmer Place, Haddington Road; Bridge Bar and Bistro; Grand Canal Basin; Oil Can Harry’s, Mount St lwr; Royal Terrace, Dun Laoghaire; Winning Solutions Gym, Dun Laoghaire; Crosthwaite Park, Dun Laoghaire.
The production has also been filming at Holland’s off-licence and on Quinsboro Road and Prince of Wales Terrace in Bray.
The two 60 minute episodes star Geraldine James (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo), Luke Treadaway (Killing Bono) and Gemma Jones (Spooks). The novel has been adapted by Adrian Hodges (My Week With Marilyn, Primeval) and the drama is being directed by Marek Losey (DCI Banks, The Hide).
Neil Zeiger (Collision) is producing the drama, while Parallel’s Alan Moloney (Treasure Island) and IFTA award winner Mary Callery (The Clinic) are the executive producers.
The story revolves around Michael ‘Mix’ Cellini whose fantasies become decisions which unpredictably turn him into a dangerous character capable of murder.
By day Mix (Treadaway) repairs fitness machines. By night he fixates on his hero, the serial killer Dr Christie. He lodges with eccentric Gwendolen Chawcer (James) who owns a huge old Victorian house. Beyond the decaying and dusty rooms, Mix climbs the 13 steps to his own room to his self-contained flat, but it’s also a shrine to a romantic delusion he harbours with a stunning top cover girl played by actress Elarica Gallacher.
Producer Alan Moloney said: “Ruth Rendell is one of the great storytellers this country has produced and this is a great opportunity to rediscover her work for television. We are excited to be working with ITV to bring Adrian Hodges’s brilliantly crafted script to a whole new audience, as well as Ruth’s legions of fans across the country.”
