The Den is a cabaret bar at the end of the world that's always been plagued by the inevitability of being shut down and resident act, Dani and Leo, are giving their final performance at this little dive they've come to call home. To celebrate and mourn this Dani and Leo have put together a special set for you, an armoury of gutsy, sad and blisteringly funny blues songs and stories. Catch them before they're gone and The Den is no more.

Winner of a Standard Bank Ovation Award 2016

"Cabaret as it was meant to be... sets the gold standard for this trickiest of theatre genres... " - Broadway World
"Would be heartbreaking if it wasn't so touchingly funny" - Megan Furniss
"Absolutely breathtaking" - Cue, 2016

Media & Reviews

"cabaret as it was meant to be... sets the gold standard for this trickiest of theatre genres...  incredible control... her deep and sensuous voice [wraps] itself around her sometimes witty and sometimes touching lyrics..."

Review by David Fick

...absolutely breaktaking.

Cue Review

"Daneel is extraordinary. Her voice. Her arms, her funny bone, her emotion, her mal kop."

Review of Dani and The Lion by Megan Furniss

Article on the preNAF minifest line-up at Alexander Upstairs June 2016

Review of Dani and the Lion by Daniel Dercksen

Review of Dani and the Lion by Megan Furniss

Interview with Daneel van der Walt by Jason Potgieter on Some Assembly Required

Profile of Jason Potgieter for Dani and the Lion

Profile of Daneel van der Walt for Dani and the Lion in The Alexander Telegraph

Review of Dani and the Lion by Diana Crandall

Audience Responses

Absolutely brilliant! Well done!

Brilliant! Intimate, energetic, FUN!

Really good voice and acting but did not get the meaning of the show. My own fault. I thought it was bluesy type music.

It was fantastic I would give it 8! It was brilliant.

Both my husband and I loved the show. Thank you

Absolutely delightful!! Hilarious, heartfelt, and entertaining! Daneel van der Walt's talents in terms of writing, performing and singing is pure brilliance and David Lubbe behind the piano as 'Lion' adds his skill and flare on the piano to the mix.

One of the best cabarets I've been to. Dani's voice is almost matched by her comedy: with one word -- no, even one sound -- she can have you in stitches. I loved it all, from the adorable, quirky lion accompanist to the poignant, inventive original songs. Waiting patiently for the CD!

Most excellent theatre! Left with the spirit uplifted!!!

Fabulous!

10 finally a show to thrill and educate. definitely one of the best shows i have seen in a very long time

Excellent script, beautifully performed an directed. Both Daneel and David were perfect in their roles. Congratulations all round! Please, who is playwright? I have unfortunately deleted all previous Alex notices. This is Genuine Theatre, full of imagination and proliferated with pregnant pauses which make the audience wonder what's coming next.

The lion was very cute.

Fantastic show, exactly what cabaret should be! Stunning painist, beautiful voice, hillarious, laughed so much & came out smiling in a happy mood. Well done Jason Potgiter& the cast for a great evening.

Brilliant show!!!

We really did enjoy the show and our supper afterwards. Dani is very good and very talented.

Stirring and quirky. Can Daneel van der Walt record an album, please?

Delightful original and quirky.

The performers were of a high standard. imaginative and creative cabaret presentation. a very enjoyable evening.

Terrific! Enjoyed every minute.

Both artists were excellent.

Daneel is completely intoxicating. She creates an incredible force onstage and drove the piece with it's hairpin turns like a formula one driver, without losing her audience for a second. It was an incredible journey that I would do over and over and over again.

Just do good.

I missed a story in this whole show, seemed to be just one song after the other...that's not a cabaret!

Dani and the Lion is refreshing, imaginative, sparkling, intriguing, engaging, quirky, at times a little puzzling but very enjoyable! Daneel has a beautiful voice and I find her very brave, appearing to bare her soul in front of such an intimate audience. The lion is hilarious, with that silly headgear and deadpan expression - I am amazed he managed to keep that up throughout the performance. All in all great entertainment. It somehow reminded me of the very first cabaret performance I ever attended as a young teenager in the early 70's, which was a Jacques Brel performance at the Chelsea Theatre in Jo'burg, & it made a lasting impression on me: the perceived raw emotion, simple props & low lighting, and songs about the human condition, especially hardship & sadness, but with an element of humour. Although this was different, it brought back those memories.

Joyous! Daneel is such a welcoming performer. Instantly likeable and lovely and so committed to the quirky loveliness. Splendiferous. Bring it back for a longer run.

Very enjoyable. Who knew the Gummi Bears theme could be so moving?

Loved them!

Sound balance not good on some numbers ... keyboard drowned out vocals ... but just slightly! Congrats

Outstanding! What a brilliant performance! Daneel's mixture of comedy and her electric voice brought so much joy to this play! Worth a watch for sure

We loved this show so much, haven't laughed so much in theater before! Daneel and David was so entertaining beginning to the end, whished it was longer!! Back tomorrow night to watch it again! Thank you to the Alexander upstairs for hosting this incredible show!

Nicholas's direction of Dani & the Lion "Reloaded" has refocussed original, which itself was pretty impressive. Daneel (dressed like a combination of Peggy Lee and Carmen Miranda) writes great songs and performs them in her own style, which combines deadpan & quirky (one can't avoid the word). Aside from his sensitive musical accompaniment, Lubbe is a good foil, although I thought he could have been incorporated more. And finally is the Lion thing really necessary? But not many shows around which feature lesbian seagulls, whales, a sub-atomic particles sing-along, a whip-through of SA 80s TV and a giraffe. Let's hope Spagnoletti and Van der Walt team up again - soon.

A sheer delight from start to finish. What a treat to enjoy such a riveting performance. Don't miss it!

Excellent and lots of fun.

Interesting quirky cabaret by 2 talented performers..music was original, delivered with fervour and passion.. thank you!

Just so good.

Much enjoyed. Almost like a send-up of cabaret genre. Loved the medley. Daneel & Roelof great combination. Occ some of the comedy misfired but I'm sure Jason P will fix. Daneel reminded me of Bernadette Peters! July run should do well.

Another lekker AB evening! Thanks, Brian x

Loved it... Left me wanting an encore, but perhaps I should have shouted for one. Next time! :-)

Fantastic show, exactly what cabaret should be! Stunning painist, beautiful voice, hillarious, laughed so much & came out smiling in a happy mood. Well done Jason Potgiter& the cast for a great evening.

Great cafe theatre. Reminds me of home (London) Louisa Power

What superb entertainment! Dani is such a fabulous performer - and her voice! I thought the lion would be a tad more aggressive but hey, what do I know?! I do know that we loved the fun, funny, fast, fabulous, frothy show. I would definitely recommend this to anyone, everyone! Happy New Year xxxxx

Daneel has a formidable voice and a very unique stage presence. The show was SUCH a treat!

Great fun, great voice and a good evening out.

Charming, and delightful. Daneel and David are wonderful on stage together. I am so happy that I finally got to see it!

Loved it. Quirky and funny. And what a great voice.

Best show I've seen this year

I came to support my friend, only to be totally blown out of the water by her. Daneel shows off her many talents here as a songwriter, singer, actress, comedienne, clown, tragic hero, and story teller. I love this show. It is the best thing I have seen this year. And Roelof is amazing as her lion/accompanist/foil. There are very few shows that I want to see more than once. This is one of them.

Quite possibly the best show I've seen at the Alexander. Make these guys come back! The songs were fantastic, the acting was great, and the whole concept just worked beautifully. I wish more productions could be like this one.

What a stunning show in your cosy theatre. A masterful sense of comic timing and top rate cabaret theme had us enthralled and laughing to tears. I want everyone I know to see this. Danielle and David's comic tragic relationship in this show is too good to miss.

Fantastic show, exactly what cabaret should be! Stunning painist, beautiful voice, hillarious, laughed so much & came out smiling in a happy mood. Well done Jason Potgiter& the cast for a great evening.

Entertaining and creative. Dani has a greta voice. Excellent interaction between Dani and the Lion. Unfortunately, I 'lost in translation' some of the many good introductions and comments by Dani, probably because they were internal South African/Cape Townian and not for a partly international audience. Deeming by the laughter and applaudes the Cape Townians loved it.

Loved the neutrino song. My friend said that it was the highlight of her evening. The flashback to all the songs of our childhood was outrageously funny Loved it

Thoroughly enjoyed the show which showcases two great talents. Well staged, amusing, very endearing!

Lots of fun and quirk! Really enjoyed the show

Best. Show. Ever. What a voice. What an accompanist. What a tap dance routine.

It was incredible and took me on a journey! Really loved it.

Wonderfully fresh and original. Deserving of all its accolades. Will see it again!

Incredible showmanship, vocal and musical talent!

A great night out, real talent!

Brilliant pianist, even he didnt have to act very much, that was also very nice. Dani has a very good voice,her singing was for us (old folks) a bit to overpowering.

Very entertaining, thoroughly enjoyed it and wish this talented duo much success with this production

The Alexander Theater never disappoints, and last night was evidence of just that. Great performances all around, and a privilege to witness Miss vd Walt letting go of some original material for the first time. Brilliant accompaniment by Roelof the Lion. Very tasty music, humorous moments very well applied. Well done to all! I have said before that Alexander Theater is one of Cape Town's best kept secrets, and I silently hope it stays that way. At the same time it deserves to explode and become very popular. See you soon again, I hope! Love, Gids

Daneel is a delight...and the lion is not too bad either. :-)

Quirky, off the wall, and totally mesmerising. Danielle has the most delicious, honey and velvet voice. Totally loved the onstage chemistry between her and the most adorable Lion, since Simba ran away to play with Pumbaa and Timon. Well done to Jason and his team ....

I saw Dani and the Lion twice within 3 days. Both performers were excellent together. Daneel is highly creative and has a wonderful voice and great stage presence.

I think R120 for such a well prepared and outstanding performance is not fair on the artist. With proper advertising and promotion such a good performance could be sold out at more than double the price.

Daneel was spectacular. She is a one-woman whirlwind. Loved this show! Such a clever, funny and fresh format.

If you're looking for a deep poignant piece of theatre / cabaret, forget it, it's just not there. What you'll get is a quirky, funny, very off the wall sixty five minutes. Daneel van der Walt and Roelof Colyn work well together. The subtleties of performance are self evident in Dani and the Lion. I left thoroughly entertained and so will you.

Funny, powerful, inspiring! Wonderful performance

Brilliantly entertaining. Heartbreaking, yet ridiculously funny.

We had the most stunning evening. The show was fantastic. It was an evening to celebrate my Mother's birthday and she came away elated with the performance. Well done Daneel - your voice is superb. The food could use a little updating. The tomato soup was cold and the tomato was forgotten off the toastie but all in all we had the best time. Thank you

Brilliant performance!

The quirky cabaret Dani and the Lion will put a song in your heart and a smile on your face. This not-to-be-missed gem showcases the phenomenal talent of songbird Daneel van der Walt and keyboard wiz Roelof Colyn, a devilish comic duo whose suave charm, panache, and mischievousness will seduce your senses and have you begging for more after the hour-long cabaret.

A stunner of a show. Daneel van der Walt is an enthralling storyteller and brings new meaning to the cabaret genre- wacky, funny, reflective. Her Ovation award at the National Arts Festival is much deserved. A must see. TheCapeRobyn

Sound balance not good on some numbers ... keyboard drowned out vocals ... but just slightly! Congrats

Absolutely brilliant. Loved the humour, songs and vibe. I would come again.

Fantastic!

Funny, powerful, inspiring! Wonderful performance

Loved the humour and original songs. The performers were spot on.

Dani and the Lion was a brilliant show! Had me in stitches at times and was thoroughly entertaining. Top notch! Well done guys!

Was great fun. Thanks

Great evening all round. fantastic show, and great vibe

Quirky and entertaining.

Really outstanding

Loved it.. Funny, quirky,brave, poignant..This was our second time seeing it.

This has been one of the most amazing productions I've seen in ages!

Funny, soulful and endlessly surprising. Really loved it.

Thoroughly entertaining. Van der Want has a magnetic stage presence and is genuinely funny througout. Her voice is as smoky as the Cuban bar at the end of the world and what she is does is technically harder than it seems at first glance. (We thought the narrative around the demise of the The Den could have been taken through a bit more. Why was it closing? What will happen to Dani afterwards? Possibly a little avenue to explore in future shows?)

Funny, powerful, inspiring! Wonderful performance

What a fun filled evening! This little snip of Caberet was original - inspired and well executed! Dani's vocals are really unbelievable - and Leo the Lions Piano skills pull off something quite special. I felt like I was back in Soho watching fringe.... YAY for Cape Town - MORE please!

Loved every second of it.