Making a play isn't easy. Like law making, not many get to see it; And like law making, it’s a long process. Start with a sculpted piece of writing, get a good director and secure a stable of capable people who’re good at talking and memorising extended sentences and paragraphs. Put all this in a blender, add a music maker, a set designer, clothing selectors and a heap of other facilitators. Mix vigorously until you get an even blend. Spread generously over a willing public.

I never went to the theatre growing up. Middle-class philistinism. It’s something I’ve come to recently and I’ve enjoyed learning about the scene in Northern Ireland and the island in whole. In a moment of chance serendipity I bumped into Dan Gordon (@heresaclue2) in August 2014 and he said about documenting his Christmas production, Mistletoe and Crime.

Serendipity came good. Rehearsals began in the Lyric Theatre on October 27 2014. It opens November 22 2014 and closes January 15. Marie Jones wrote it.

Day ONE was cool and calm. It began with coffee; the prologue to a full read-through of the script before an audience of Lyric staff. A sedate Sunday drive. For me it was just about following my script. I draw at events all the time, and I drew the cast and audience as I do all the time.

Day TWO was another leisurely stroll. As I familiarised myself with the cast and the procedure I moved more and more away from my usual routine of drawing people — “brutal and bilious” — to looking and listening for nuance and a more subtle observation.

Day THREE hit me in the face. I walked in and the sit-down talking clocks had been replaced by the on stage pyrotechnics of the full-flow of live action theatre. And I drew as such. I drew with energy, a more gentle hand, and sought to to illustrate the shift from the softly, softly of the first two days to the fast, frenetic of blood pumping dialogue.

Day ONE was like going back to your first day at school, like being in Primary One all over again. Day TWO was like P.3 or P.4, while BOOM! Day THREE was like an almighty leap to Lower Sixth!

Day FOUR was Upper Sixth. Intense and frantic. I also got to speak with Owen McCafferty who was writing the script of a play. You could see him writhe and wriggle as he formulated and constructed the dialogue.

Day FIVE was the day we reached the soft under belly of the play. Not my words, but those of Dan Gordon.

Day SIX slowed the process up to a cruising speed where you could see the sculpting and precision work of Dan Gordon begin.

Day SEVEN was a gear down-shift. It began with only three cast members diligently running over their words. It picked up again as lunch approached.

Day EIGHT was tetchier. Nerves ruffled a little as lines were missed. I tried to capture this as Dan with his Big Stick.

Day NINE was the day I got to hang out with sound man Garth McConaghie (@GarthybOy), draw him and share ideas in the sound control room.

It has been a fascinating experience so far, watching people come together and construct a piece of art collectively. Watching the chemistry flow, rise and recede and see how the collective evolves and refines.

I look forward to coming back to this.

Have a look at my tumblr blog where you can see photos of my work from each day here. See my Live Drawing blog here. Also see my personal website and my blog where you can read about what I’m thinking and writing about.

On Twitter here.