Our Story
Lost Cause was created for one very simple reason. We wanted to create new theatre that would be made and shown where we live. We want to make sure that our plays give a platform for unheard voices and tell the stories that matter most to our community.
Jack and Ant first worked together on a Hereford-based project, when Ant commissioned six playwrights to write short monologues on gender; the topic having been chosen by local residents as the topic they’d like to see explored the most.
Jack’s play, the first incarnation of A Roaring Boy, was an instant hit with audiences and the team were keen to develop it further. At the same time, Ant and Jack were taken by the beauty of this model. The community choosing the topic with local artists giving their own unique take.
This spark led to Lost Cause being formed and the plan is to follow the same process over the next few years. We promise to create work that reflects the interests if our area and present it in an entertaining, informative and responsible manner
Artistic Team
Ant and Jack co-created Lost Cause, having worked in the arts for many years in their own right. They are supported by a team of Trustees and local artists.
Ant Stones (left) is a Director, Writer and Producer living in Hereford in the West Midlands. He is a graduate of the Birkbeck MFA in Theatre Directing and The Royal Court’s Young Writer’s Programme. His work has been performed at a variety of theatres across the country, including The Bush Theatre, The Pleasance, The Underbelly in Edinburgh and The Guildford Shakespeare Company.
Jack Hughes (right) is a writer, actor and theatre practitioner based in the Golden Valley. He trained as an actor at The Oxford School of Drama and his plays have been performed in London, Edinburgh and Hereford.
Both Ant and Jack are also lucky enough to have worked with some amazing local companies, including Feral Productions, Pentabus, The Courtyard and Cracked Slipper.
Mission & Values
Lost Cause is committed to making theatre that is inclusive, accessible, and relevant to the communities we work with across the Midlands and beyond.
We are based in a region that is often described as rural and predominantly white, and we recognise both the opportunities and responsibilities this brings. We believe diversity exists everywhere—not only in terms of race and ethnicity, but also across class, disability, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, faith, and lived experience. Our work seeks to reflect the complexity of the places we are rooted in, while also engaging with a wider range of voices.
We strive to create inclusive and supportive environments for artists, participants, audiences, and partners—on stage, backstage, in rehearsal rooms, and on tour. We work to widen access, support underrepresented voices, and create welcoming spaces for artists, audiences, and partners wherever we perform. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is ongoing and central to our practice.
Through touring across the Midlands and beyond, we aim to connect local experiences to wider conversations, using theatre to build empathy, curiosity, and shared understanding.
For more details of our values, please see our various policies.
Lost Cause Theatre 