Show about a show
Soap On A Rope lifts the lid on what happens backstage on a soap set.
Soap On A Rope Season 1 Fridays (from 7 April) SABC3 (*193) 19:30
Soapie storylines have sex, scandal, drama and action… but what’s happening behind the scenes is way more entertaining if new local sitcom Soap On A Rope (2017current) is anything to go by. The series revolves around fictional soap Hard Body and the people who’re putting it together. “There’s a lot of backstage fighting, good and bad moments, challenges as well as funny moments,” says the show’s creator Gray Hofmeyr. And he’s talking from experience – he was behind the camera on sitcom Suburban Bliss (1996-1997) as well as soapie Isidingo (1998- current). “I had enough material [from working on the others] to create this show within a show.”
CAST & CREW TIMES TWO
Leading the cast of Hard Body (and Soap On A Rope by default) is Luthuli Dlamini (Stan Nyathi on Scandal!, 2005- current) as Sello. He’s a one-
time hotshot Hollywood actor who considers himself a mentor to his younger co-stars. And according to Luthuli, it’s the sitcom’s mix of young and old actors that will hopefully make Soap On A Rope a hit with fans across generations. “The show has a cross-over appeal and will do well with viewers young and old.”
Luthuli isn’t the only famous face on the show. Melanie Du Bois (Felicity in 7de Laan, 2016- current) plays makeup artist Zee, while Sonia Mbele (she was Sonia Sedibe when she played Ntombi on Generations, 1994-2014) is diva actress Tuki. Ashish Gangapersad (CIA agent Ajay on Gold Diggers, 2015- current) as scriptwriter Verbal and Alfred Ntombela (best known as comedian Leon’s Schuster’s sidekick in Leon’s Schucks movies) as Hard Body’s fictional Detective Masondo.
QUICKSHOOTER
Season 1 is going to have 13 episodes and filming wrapped in as many days – that’s an average of an episode a day. “It was slightly challenging,” laughs Luthuli. “Everybody was really cool on set.” Gray adds that “I had a great time working on set with everyone. And if all goes well, there’s a good chance of a season s.”