GROWING up in Crosshill, Laurie Motherwell remembers being strangely fascinated by the “dookits” dotted across the Southside of the city.

“There were a few of these mysterious wooden and metal structures around, and I used to wonder what secrets they held,” he says, smiling.

“I knew they were used by pigeon-keepers, but it wasn’t until I started digging into the history of it all that I learned this was a hobby that transcends borders and class.

“It is popular across the world, loved by royals and aristocrats, as well as the working classes.”

Glasgow Times: A Glasgow dookit

Inspired by those early memories, Laurie’s latest play, Roost, is set in the astonishing world of doo-men (pigeon-keepers) and dovecots.

It is the Glasgow writer’s debut work for A Play, A Pie and A Pint, Oran Mor’s lunchtime theatre series, which is switching temporarily to a Tuesday to Sunday run for the next few shows.

READ NEXT: Glasgow actor who appeared in Netflix hit back on stage in city

“It’s my first time writing for Oran Mor, but I know Play Pie Pint well - you can’t have lived or worked in theatre in Glasgow and not have been along at some point over the last 20 years,” he adds, with a laugh.

Glasgow Times: The cast of roost in rehearsals

“It’s a great thing for the city. It’s intense, because it’s such a tight turn-around, but it’s an amazing experience.”

Directed by Katherine Nesbitt and starring PPP newcomers Hannah Yahya Hassan and Conor McLeod, Roost is the story of a doo-man called Bingo, whose obsession with his hobby is beginning to take over his life, at the expense of his personal relationships.

Social worker Hana – who has her own connection to the world of pigeon-keeping – has the job of visiting Bingo to deliberate upon his case for custody of his daughter and the two strike up an unlikely friendship.

Glasgow Times: Hannah Yahya Hassan and Conor McLeod

Roost is not really a story about pigeons, of course, as Laurie explains.

“It’s about possession, family and the power hobbies have in bringing people together," he says, "and how they can take over your life.”

Laurie graduated with an MSc in playwriting from Edinburgh University, but his interest in theatre goes back to his childhood.

READ NEXT: 130 years of Bridgeton history in 16 fantastic photos

“My mum was friends with the people who ran Hopscotch Theatre Group, so I grew up around that world,” he explains, adding with a grin: “I’d probably have got involved in the creative side a bit earlier, but it clashed with Saturday morning football.”

Last year, he says, was “one of the best” in his career since graduating five years ago.

His play Sean And Daro Flake it ‘Til They Make It, set in an ice cream van, premiered at the Traverse Theatre in April and ran again during the Edinburgh Fringe festival, and he was appointed the Tron Theatre's writer in residence, developing his new play The Grand Sun Shines Eternal.

“It feels things finally started to click,” he agrees. “I’ve got a few things in the pipeline at the moment. The hope is to find the right platform to tell the stories, to write things that resonate with people.”

Roost is at Oran Mor from Tuesday to Sunday, May 14 to 19, before touring to Dumfries, Stranraer and Moffat as part of the Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival.