Then You Run - AD Introduction

Then You Run is a new eight-part miniseries based on the dark crime suspense thriller novel ‘You’ written by Croatian born German author Zoran Drvenkar, adapted for television by Ben Chanan. This taut, twisting and turning perfectly paced thriller propels us into storylines of deceit, family, danger, murder, fear and betrayal paired with humour, friendship, awkward romances and an unwanted pregnancy.

The main plot revolves around four female rebellious London teenagers who are forced to go on the run across Northern Europe when they inadvertently get on the wrong side of a vicious Kingpin drug dealer and his gang. They unwittingly follow a path down an avenue of ever-present danger with a stolen stash of heroin.

Episode 1 entitled Ante Zante… (a holiday not quite realised) reveals a dark mysterious sub plot taking us back in time to 2005. The opening sequence burst forth onto the screen during a ragging snowstorm on a dark winter’s night on a German highway. Stuck for hours in a blizzard the actions of a brutal serial killer known only as The Traveller with an insatiable appetite for murder unfurl.

Cut to present day where we’re introduced to the lead character Tara O’Rouke at her grandmother’s funeral in an Irish Catholic church in London. As her sole carer has died seventeen-year-old Tara, whose mother also deceased (killed in a car crash when Tara was very young) has no option but to accept an invitation to live with her estranged wealthy father in the modern cultural waterside city of Rotterdam. Wrenched away from her school mates she embarks on a new lonely life that quickly turns sour and reunites her with her girlfriends.

Tara O’Rouke played by Leah McNamara is a pretty, slim seventeen-year-old Londoner of Irish and Norwegian heritage. She has long straight blonde hair, pale skin, clear blue eyes and  neat features. She’s emotionally scarred from the haunting memories of the crash that took her beloved mother from her. She has a curious nature, resilient, feisty and is suspicious of her father who seems to be hiding something from her. She seemingly speaks fluent German.

Tara’s best friend is ‘Stink’ played by Vivian Oparah her eighteen-year-old black school friend who is full of energy. As her nickname would suggest she’s disruptive, reckless, head strong and forthright. She’s also fun loving, daring and flirtatious. Her tight curls of black shoulder length hair neatly frame her face. She has large dark brown eyes and cupid bow lips.

Nessi played by Isidora Fairhurst is the more reserved of the group of friends. Low in confidence especially around men, mildly neurotic and strait-laced. She is fiercely loyal and dependable to her girls. Nessi is eighteen, white skinned, has long wavy mousy brown hair with a round friendly open face.

Ruth played by Yasmin Monet Prince makes up the group of four. Ruth has a sensible head on her shoulders, she’s sharp and intelligent. Also eighteen she is a slim petite black woman who wears her curls loose tumbling to her shoulders.

Orin O’Rouke played by Cillian O’Sullivan is Tara’s long-lost father. He’s a white Irish handsome man in his late thirties. He has a thick head of floppy brown hair with a beard and moustache. He wears trendy clothes and drives a red convertible sports car. As a musician he writes musical scores for commercials as a profession. He lives in a large gated eco chic wooden rendered, modern modular, bespoke detached home with large windows nestled in a well-tended plot.

Reagan O’Rouke played by Richard Coyle is Orin’s older brother and Tara’s uncle. He’s fifty years of age ruggedly handsome with dark brown hair parted on the side. He’s highly intelligent and powerful. A notorious gangster/drug dealer. He leads the hunt for the girls and will stop at nothing to retrieve his missing cache of heroin.

Turi played by Francis Magee is Reagan’s trusted and loyal right-hand man. He is a tall, white thickly set man older in years than his boss. He has a softly lined face, dark hair, beard and moustache all tinged with grey.

Davey and Leo played by Aron Hegarty and Carl Shabaan are both part of Reagan’s crew. The hapless duo are short on intelligence but not afraid of violence.

Darian played by Darren Cahill is Reagan’s good-looking dark haired eighteen-year-old son. Tara’s first cousin. He’s yet to mature into the man his father would hope him to be.

Saskia played by Lea Marlen Woitack is Orin’s sassy girlfriend. A confident glamourous white woman in her mid-thirties with glossy brown wavy mid length hair. She’s aware of her sexuality and is body confident. Tara takes an instant dislike to her.

Maggie played by Lise Risom Olsen is Tara’s mother. A Norwegian woman with short, cropped Nordic blonde hair, icy blue eyes, fair skin and a broad smile.

And finally, we have ‘The Traveller,’ a smartly dressed German man in his late thirties to early forties. He has short light brown hair, he’s tall and of a medium build. Back story unknown but with an appetite for murder. This mythical serial killer draws us ever closer on a collision course with them all!

Written & voiced by Penelope Parisi, Audio Describer