If you thought the iconic Club Galaxy was looking rather busy lately, the jol isn’t open yet.
The Gala has become the film set of a new Showmax original series called Skemerdans, which will be released in 2021.
The neo-noir murder mystery is the brainchild of duo Amy Jephta from Mitchells Plain and Ephraim Gordon, from Paarl, and stars a host of local celebs.
Neo-noir is a film genre known for its stylish crime dramas, often with a twisted dark wit.
After the murder of owner Glenn Fortune, The Oasis Jazz Club becomes the centre of a power struggle between two brothers, a scorned widow and an organised crime syndicate.
The 13-part series features the crown jewels of the local acting industry including SAFTA winners.
Kevin Smith (Arendsvlei), Ilse Klink (Stroomop) and Brendon Daniels (Four Corners) lead the all-star cast as Glenn, his wife Shireen and his brother Trevor respectively.
Ceagan Arendse (Arendsvlei) is the black sheep of the family, Warren; Trudy van Rooy (Sara Se Geheim) is Glenn’s prodigal daughter, Jessie; and SAFTA nominee Vinette Ebrahim (7de Laan) is the Fortune family matriarch.
Filming is taking place along Voortrekker Road and at Club Galaxy in Rylands.
Cape Town’s most famous club opened in 1978, and in the series is doubling as both The Oasis and the Adams brothers’ strip club, The Velvet Room.
SAFTA-winning director Chris Lotz is shooting mostly at night, leaning into the shadows, silhouettes and neon lighting that makes the locations ideal for a noir series.
Amy says: “We wrote the story with Galaxy and Voortrekker Road in mind
“We wanted to take these completely local settings and give them the same noir treatment we associate with the LA strip, to make them feel as cinematic and iconic.
“Mense on the Cape Flats will relate easily to this, it’s that unique sound of ‘jazz’ in Cape Town, you know there’s jazz and then there’s jazz, the type of music you will only get in Cape Town. I want people all over the world to experience this culture.”
Good Hope FM Happy Hour host Carl Weber also stars as one of the Adams brothers - the mob bosses -who are busy buying up the strip around The Oasis.
Bongo Mbutuma plays his partner in crime.