Children of the Night

A Play. A Poem. And a Party.

Written by Danielle Phillips & directed by Kimberley Sykes

“IT’S FRIDAY, 5PM, THE AIR IS THICK WITH CIGGY SMOKE-FILLED ANTICIPATION, THE STREETS’R TIPSY WITH POSSIBILITY, EXPECTATION... EVERYBODY’S DREAMING, BEAMING, GETTING STEAMING FOR THE NIGHT AHEAD…”

Set on the closing night of Doncaster’s legendary nightclub Karisma, Children of the Night follows Lindsay Jenkins—a working-class, ex-miner’s daughter—coming of age during the UK’s first heterosexual HIV cluster in the chaotic final days of ‘90s Clubland.

A love letter to rebellious ravers, resilient women, and the cultural pulse of the North, mixing kitchen-sink drama with dancefloor euphoria, the show dives into themes of sexual health, grief, ambition, and the nightlife that shaped a generation.

Shortlisted for the 2023 Women’s Prize for Playwriting & the 2024 New Diorama Theatre Untapped Award, and made the top 9% of the BBC Open Writers Call 2024.

The 2026 national tour of Children of the Night opens at Cast for two weeks before playing stages across England.