Irish actors Jim Norton (Fr Ted), Leigh Arnold (The Clinic), Nora-Jane Noone (The Magdalene Sisters), Conor Mullen (Rough Diamond), Vincent Walsh (A Kiss For Jed) and Helen Roche (Roy) are heading up the cast of new €1.2m drama series ‘Deception,’ which is currently shooting in Galway.
The six-part series – formerly reported under the working title ‘Tailor’s Hill’ – began production last Monday (June 18) in Spiddal and will shoot for four weeks in total.
As exclusively revealed on IFTN earlier this month, Elizabeth Gill (Hardy Bucks) and Anne McCabe (Ros na Rún) will direct the series, which will be co-produced by Tyrone Productions and EO Teilifís. The series will air on TV3 in the autumn.
'Deception' will comprise of six hour-long dramas centred on six individuals with six different writers set to each write an episode each. Each episode will be told from a different character’s perspective.
The series’ six writers are Paul Walker (Stardust, Fair City); Lauren Mackenzie (Pure Mule, The Clinic); Len Collin (The Bill, Eastenders); Ted Gannon (Ballykissangel, Fair City); Christian O’Reilly (Inside I’m Dancing, On Home Ground) and Ailbhe Nic Giolla Bhríghde (Ros Na Rún).
The contemporary drama will reflect modern Ireland and will be set in the city and a suburb of Galway on a semi-ghost estate. A full synopsis of the show reveals that ‘Deception’ is “filled with instantly recognisable characters that the audience will relate to and that the stories are relevant to the people of Ireland.”
It continues: “The location is a small exclusive development or it was exclusive back in 2007 when building started. Only one family bought off plan and paid top dollar. Others bought more recently. Some only rent. This is a semi-ghost estate.
“Each family/occupants come from a different background and have different values, different incomes and aspirations. Of course at the heart of us all lie the same wants needs and desires. We just go about achieving them in different ways.
“With the recession biting everybody is scrambling for every cent. People are doing things they wouldn’t normally consider; things that make their skin crawl to make ends meet, to protect the people they care about. We explore these dark recesses.
“In 2008 the houses were valued at €675,000. In 2012 the houses are valued at €310,000. That’s the asking price. You’ll get one for less if you’ve got cash in your hand.”
Other acting talent set to feature in the series includes Robbie Walsh (Eden) who will play Manga; Alec Mac Donald who will play Ozzie; Michael Murphy who will play Zoo and Jack Harney who will play Roy, and Danny McColgan (13 Steps Down), who has recently been cast as Eric Clapton in the Jimi Hendrix biopic 'All Is By My Side'.
Of the crew, Micheál Ó Dubháin (Riverdance) is the director of photography; Hugh Farley (Ros na Rún) is the series producer, while Ronnie Quinlan (Ros Na Rún) and Padraig Ó Ceallaigh will edit the series. The series' production designer is Mags Linnane, whose previous credits include 'Ros na Rún,' 'Rasai na Gaillimhe' and 'Na Cloigne'. Post-production on the series will be carried out at Eo Teilifís’ studios in Spiddal. Tyrone’s Patricia Carroll and EO Teilifís’ Máire Ní Thuathail will executive produce.
‘Deception’ received €600,000 – 50 per cent of its funding – in the last round of BAI funding.
