Mad Friday Productions’ exhilarating drama Children of the Night will transport audiences back to the euphoria and chaos of Northern England in the 1990s as it embarks on a UK tour this spring.
The coming-of-age story will visit Doncaster, Salford, Hull and Birmingham before making its London debut at Southwark Playhouse Borough in March. Press night takes place on Thursday 5 February at Cast, Doncaster.
Shortlisted for the 2023 Women’s Prize for Playwriting and the 2024 New Diorama Untapped Award, Children of the Night marks the debut play from writer and performer Danielle Phillips.
Living amidst the electric finale of 90s nightlife and post-Thatcher Britain, Lindsay Jenkins is a young Donny lass with an undeniable thirst for hedonism. Inspired by her single dad – an ex-miner and old-school raver – Lindsay navigates sexual health, grief and the perceived lack of ambition in working-class towns across three long summers on Doncaster’s relentless dancefloor.
Described as “a love letter to the working-class cultural pulse of the North,” the play mixes kitchen-sink drama with spoken word dance floor euphoria. Developed using testimonies from over 30 local Doncaster people, it proudly centres resilience, female friendships and the importance of nightlife within local communities.
The production is written and performed by Danielle Phillips (The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare’s Globe; The Upstart Crow, West End) and produced by Lauren Yvonne Townsend (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, West End). Kimberley Sykes (Romeo and Juliet, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) directs, with set and costume design by Hannah Sibai, lighting by Jessie Addinall, sound design and composition by Ben McQuigg, and movement direction from Jennifer Kay.
Children of the Night is supported by Arts Council England, Right Up Our Street, Cast and Stage One. The confirmed cast will be announced soon.
Tour Dates:
- 4–14 February 2026: Cast, Doncaster
- 20–21 February 2026: The Lowry, Salford
- 25–26 February 2026: Hull Truck Theatre
- 2–3 March 2026: Birmingham Rep
- 11 March–4 April 2026: Southwark Playhouse Borough
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
