Lost Mythos

A night of comedy, music and poetry for the ages, Lost Mythos is a parish council meeting like no other. Fresh from their recent album collaboration, the haunting soundscapes of Mara Simpson and the words of acclaimed poet JLM Morton will take us back to a forgotten Albion. Meanwhile, comic Emma Kernahan guides us through this mythical meeting agenda, blending unruly local folklore and stories from modern rural life. A show which simultaneously embodies and explores ancient archetypes and questions the roots of our yearning for them, Lost Mythos is ideal for fans of history, magic, and neighbourhood Facebook groups.

Lost Mythos began life as Glos Mythos, a book combining updates from an invented parish council of Stroud’s genii loci (written by Emma Kernahan) and the poetry of JLM Morton, which explores forgotten matriarchal rites and rituals of the Romano-Celt world. Both authors play with ideas of place, modern identity, buried histories, and the resurgence of old lore in times of uncertainty. Glos Mythos was published by Dialect Press in 2023, with illustrations by brilliant Stroud based artist Bill Jones.

Soon after, musician Mara Simpson joined with Emma and Juliette to create a real-life meeting of the Association of Mythical Entities for a sold out event at Stroud Book Festival, her moving soundscapes blurring the lines between past and present, and between mythical and mortal even further. The success of this led to other performances, plus an Instagram account run entirely by a 5000-year-old genius loci called Val - and in 2025 they are taking their myth-making show on the road around the southwest, as music/poetry/comedy trio ‘Lost Mythos’. Mara will be releasing her album Living Matter, a response to JLM Morton’s poetry, on 30 May 2025, available on vinyl and as a high quality digital download.

‘the epitome of hearthside magic … it somehow feels like it’s made up of moss, stones, rough fabric, splintered fenceposts and the smell of rain on leaves.’ ~ Joe Muggs, music journalist

“a wholly immersive, bewitching experience … one of the most-lauded shows at Stroud Book Festival.’ ~ Caroline Sanderson, Bookseller Editor and Artistic Director Stroud Book Festival

TOUR DATES 2025

New dates are being added so please check back here for updates - if you’d like Lost Mythos to come to your town, feel free to get in touch!

04 May NeoAncients Festival, Stroud

12 July Market Theatre, Ledbury

13 July Fringe Festival, Totnes

17 July Kingshill House, Dursley

02 October Roman Baths, Bath

10 October The Ladder, Redruth

16 October Old Baptist Chapel, Tewkesbury

17 October Jenner Museum, Berkeley