Mad Friday Productions’ exhilarating drama, Children of the Night, is set to transport audiences back to the euphoric and chaotic Northern English club scene of the 1990s as it embarks on a major national tour this spring. Shortlisted for the 2023 Women’s Prize for Playwriting, this play—described as "a play, a poem and a party"—will travel through Doncaster, Salford, Hull, and Birmingham before making its London debut at Southwark Playhouse Borough in March. The press night is scheduled for Thursday, February 5th, at Cast in Doncaster.
The debut play by writer and performer Danielle Phillips (The Upstart Crow, West End) centers on Lindsay Jenkins, a young woman in post-Thatcher Britain navigating the electric finale of 90s nightlife in her hometown, dubbed ‘Yorkshire’s very own Vegas.’ Inspired by her raver dad, Lindsay plunges into the relentless dancefloor of Doncaster, dealing with sexual health, grief, and societal assumptions about working-class towns—all set against the backdrop of the UK’s first heterosexual HIV cluster.
Children of the Night is a passionate love letter to Northern working-class culture, skillfully blending kitchen-sink drama with spoken word dance floor euphoria. The narrative is richly drawn from the testimonies of over 30 local Doncaster residents, creating a tapestry of personal truth that champions the resilience of ordinary people, the power of female friendships, and the vital role of the nightlife economy.
The predominantly female creative team is spearheaded by Director and Dramaturg Kimberley Sykes (Romeo and Juliet, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre). With support from Arts Council England and others, this production promises to be one of the most exciting showcases of Northern creative talent this year.
