Children of the Night
Drum and bass. Lights and dancing. Making mistakes and moments along the way. Learning who you are while the music carries on. Who are you going to be at the end of the night? That and more is what Children of the Night encapsulates in this 95 minute show.
Written and performed by Danielle Phillips and directed by Kimberley Sykes, this story follows Lindsay Jenkins, a young and scrappy teen in the heart of the 90s in Doncaster across the years 1997 to 1999 while waiting for the new millennium to ring in. We watch her take us through some of the best and worst nights out in the city. Covering everything from the aftermath of Thatcher, the HIV scare that overtook the town and the people in between wondering where they fit.
Children of the Night features Danielle Phillips as the principal character Lindsay alongside her friend Jen, played by Charlotte Brown. The chemistry between the two is strong with stellar performances from both. Especially in moments where we confront class, family, relationships, race and expectations with education. While we bounce between their friendship through the years we also follow the relationship between Lindsay and her father, Terry (played by Gareth Radcliffe). All while a killer soundtrack captures a highlight in music and the club night scene. Featuring additional voices and lots of research into the history of the town and the nightlife, Children of the Night is a love letter to the North and the club scene that made the town the place to be.
Phillips' writing is sharp, poetic and lyrical while also gritty and grubby. We see the good and bad of the town, all the while painting a picture with a keen eye. I imagine if you are from Doncaster, there would be in jokes that would give you an extra chuckle but even still, the love for the location shines and nearly acts like another character. Often we follow the characters as they get on buses, taxis and run through streets and markets. It was fascinating to see across the changing years the careful and considerate details that mark the shift in times as we inch closer to the 2000s.
Lindsay is a real fighter and we watch her at both her best and worst. She takes shots, punches and flirts her way into situations. She is described as "magnetic" and it's right but that magnetism extends to Phillips herself too. Not only does she talk the talk but she writes it too. Especially in scenes with Terry. Their performances together feel like the real heart of the story. At times, I did want more time with dad and while his plot felt rushed, especially at the end which left a confusing taste in my mouth. Still, the performances together are something really special.
The direction by Kimberley Sykes often had motifs like the journey to the nightclub. The route never changed but each time the people taking it had shifted a little from the time before (well that and the price of the bus). At times this became a bit formulaic, only so many times can an audience watch the same motif play out. While entertaining, in direction this felt too much like a repetition across the story. The set itself designed by Hannah Sibai allows for movement. We have everything from the dancefloor to those dreaded stairs. Actors climb, stomp and crawl. Add in the lighting design by Jessie Addinall which lit from within and throughout. The club was alive and at times it felt like a real rave. Music too is pivotal, sound designer and composer Ben McQuigg really brought us the best of the best as we race through the 90s.
Children of the Night is more than Europop and the glory of the 90s. Instead we are painted a picture of the long forgotten art of a night out. After the pandemic, nightlife across the UK has suffered. If you have been craving a night out without the hangover or just want a throwback, Children of the Night just might be the show for you.
This show was reviewed at Southwark Playhouse Borough, London on the 13th March 2026 where it runs until the 4th April 2026. Tickets available here: Children of the Night - Southwark Playhouse Borough
Review written by Mary Condon O'Connor
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Photo credit: Marc Brenner
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