Last weekend (July 6-8), local audiences couldn't get enough of a man in a cat suit and his owner.

The play 'Carolien and Wessex' came to the Town and Country Centre in what was a homecoming for an actor, writer and director.

Kim Cheel wrote and starred in the play which received an honourable mention for Best Original Script at the Foothills Regional One Act Play Festival in April.

The play centers around Carolien (played by Cheel), a small town woman that has moved to the big city hoping to escape the pressures and expectations of others.

Unfortunately, it's clear from the opening scene, where Carolien returns from a terrible blind date, that the expectations still haunt her. Thankfully, Carolien has the comfort and support of her cat Wessex (played by Tare Rennebohm).

As the story continues, Wessex does his best to help Carolien move on from her burdens and enjoy life, while making sure that his bowl isn't half full.

Things take an interesting turn, when a young man named Adam (played by Delbert Saunders) shows up to return a book that Carolien left at the restaurant where she had her blind date.

Carolien is extremely hesitant to let this stranger into her life, but both soon discover a shared love of reading. Adam takes the initiative to write to her. The small gesture warms Carolien's heart as she decides to write back, a pattern that continues for quite some time.

When Adam and Carolien finally decide to meet, things appear different. Wessex, perched in a near hunting pose on his favourite chair, isn't too fond of Adam, declaring 'I despise the scent of man' during the encounter.

Through conversation with Adam, Carolien's suppressed emotions towards her family's expectations come out, leaving what started as a promising first encounter with a bitter end.

After returning from a family wedding, Carolien is surprised to see more letters have come from Adam, and she's hesitant to open them at first. Wessex sees that his owner isn't the same without Adam, and pushes the letters towards her.

The two meet once again as Carolien comes to terms with everyone's expectations and realizes she doesn't need them, she's happy as she is.

Beside the sight of a man in a cat suit, what makes the play compelling to the audience is how Carolien's struggles relate to many in the world today. You can't help but ache for Carolien as if her family troubles were your own. Throughout most of the one hour performance, you forget you're watching a play because the issues that the characters are facing are too common.

Even the wittiness of Wessex is something all cat owners can relate to. Many times a feline, or other pet for that matter, is the closest companion you have. Even if they secretly drink the milk you sternly asked them not to.

Cheel says performances like 'Carolien and Wessex' show that unique plays and those who work hard to bring them to life can be found in Airdrie, and that it's a great boost to the local arts scene that continues to grow in Airdrie.