Children Of The Night - Southwark Playhouse - Borough.

 Friday 13th March 2026

"Children Of The Night"

Southwark Playhouse - Borough

⭐⭐⭐ (3 Stars)

The GCSE exams are over, and the summer of ‘97 is about to be epic for Lindsay Jenkins (Danielle Phillips, also the writer of the play) and her best mate Jen (Charlotte Brown) as they embark on a messy journey of self-discovery while exploring the rave scene of Doncaster.

In fact, Children Of The Night, a 90-minute self-proclaimed “love letter to the working-class cultural pulse of the North” is lovingly crafted by writer Danielle Phillips and inspired by the testimony of 30 people who truly lived and breathed the chaotic 90s nightlife of Doncaster, right in the aftermath of Margaret Thatcher’s policies and during the UK’s first heterosexual outbreak of HIV.

Phillips plays an effervescent yet vulnerable Lindsay, a young woman who grew up without a mother, on the cusp of adulthood, torn between the excitement of finally feeling free to be herself as she steps into the iconic Karisma nightclub and the looming responsibilities of life, both of which feel incredibly personal and universally relatable. Phillips portrays her with edge and softness, often juggling between the irreverence of an adolescent girl and the honesty that comes with growing up and facing the world. Charlotte Brown plays Jen, who at first needs to be convinced to let go, disobey her parents and enjoy the newfound freedom, but who quickly distances herself from the nightlife scene to pursue education, escape the racist comments she often receives as a mixed Asian girl and seek stability with a boyfriend, losing touch with Lindsay in the process.

The chemistry between the two is evident, making their friendship's evolution feel authentic and relatable. Jen’s internal conflict between freedom and expectations adds depth to the narrative and provides a strong contrast to Lindsay’s free-spirited character, who is soon forced to assess her wild life when a wave of HIV cases hits Doncaster’s night scene.

The production is cleverly directed by Kimberley Sykes and staged by Hannah Sibai and is a relatively simple set-up of walls and staircases is used to its full potential, becoming Lindsay’s house, Jen’s bedroom, and multiple clubs, effortlessly transporting the viewer around Doncaster. The masterful use of lighting (Jessie Addinall) and sound (Ben McQuigg) immerses the audience in the rave scene, almost making you want to dance along (Jennifer Kay, Movement Director), while also creating a palpable sense of the highs and lows these characters are going through. Yet, not everything is colourful neon lights and basslines, some moments are quieter and more intimate, especially as we are welcomed into Lindsay’s home by her father Terry (masterfully played by Gareth Radcliffe), who shares cigarettes and colourful advice (“If you get lucky, bag it!”) from his raving days long gone, as he battles cerebral hypoxia, a lasting effect of the years spent working in the mines.

On the notes of Wannabe by the Spice Girls and with iconic Buffy The Vampire Slayer quotes, Phillips builds a narrative that rings with truth, heartbreak and exhilaration. It's both a fun trip down memory lane as the protagonists run in and out of pubs and clubs, painting a vivid picture of the city and its peculiar alleys and also a visceral, emotional journey through a time of cultural transformation.

Catch Children Of The Night playing at Southwark Playhouse - Borough from Wednesday 11th March - Saturday 4th April 2026.

Written By Klaire Di Mattia