Ruth Rendell's 13 Steps Down

13 Steps Down

13 Steps Down is an ITV two part television drama based on the novel by Ruth Rendell. It is centred around the main character, Mix Cellini, who lives in the upstairs apartment of an old Victorian house on Notting Hill. As the story progresses the audience discovers that Cellini is strangely infatuated with serial killer John Christie, and has a dangerous obsession with a local model Nerissa Nash.

Link to reviews:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2012/aug/13/tv-review-ruth-rendells-thirteen-steps-down

Link to cast members:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2336352/combined

Link to production information:
http://tomtdowling.wordpress.com/tag/wicklow-film/


Title Screen:


Main Cast Members:

Mix Cellini, played by Luke Treadaway, is a lonely young man who repairs gym equipment for a living. He has a peculiar admiration for John Christie's "work" and believes that he is a genius. He has strange fantasies about model Narissa Nash, telling strangers that she is his girlfriend. This obsession leads him to murder receptionist Danila Kovic, played by Victoria Bewick, and suspicious landlady Gwendolen Chawcer. The audience is lead to believe that Cellini has psychological problems.


Gwendolen Chawcer, played by Geraldine James, is landlady to the psychopath Mix Cellini. She spends most of her time conversing with her two friends and writing to her long lost love. Further into the thriller the audience understands that she becomes more and more suspicious of her tenant and asks him to leave, sadly her forcefulness leads her to be murdered and buried under the floorboards.


Nerissa Nash, played by Elarica Gallacher, is a model who unfortunately lives local to her stalker Mix Cellini. All through the programme she is aware of this, but just ignores it as it has happened before and they fell out of interest, however Cellini is eager to meet her and speaks to her on regular occasions. Only then does Nerissa feel threatened by him and calls her friend for help. In the final episode of this thriller Mix turns up at her doorsteps and enters her home, he strikes fear into her and the police are called to arrest him.


My Response:
I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping thriller and found it difficult to place my eyes anywhere apart from the television screen. It was well acted and the story line kept me on my toes, making it very hard not to continue watching to find out what will happen next.