Cat's Life: The must-see Man Down star and a very frisky hitch-hiker

The Free Fringe strand has become something of a powerhouse at the Edinburgh Festival, attracting the kind of talent and experience you'd never get to see for nix anywhere else. Among the must-see names this year is Mike Wozniak, who earned critical acclaim in 2008 for his Edinburgh Comedy Award -nominated debut. He gained even more fans after playing the luxuriously moustachioed financial adviset Brian in C4's sitcom Man Down. A lot of Brian's middle-class angst is present in this lunchtime show, which tells the story of a stowaway cat that climbed into Wozniak's car boot at the end of last year's festival, and settled in all the way down to the comedian's home in Exeter. Wozniak doesn't ant a cat, and his attempts to find its owner results in a road trip of frustration: he's as much a slave to the vagaries of modern life as he is to his frisky feline. Some randowm bits of trivia, which Wozniak uses to punctuate the talem are even more effectiveat showcasting his subversive acerbic wit: 'A seahorse is the only creature in the world that can change gender without a huge amount of online abuse,' he declares. It's a romp that should ean him a lot of love (if not awards) throughout the month. And, given the Free fringe works on a 'donate what you think it's worth' system, hopefully a decent bit of money too.



Sharon Lougher for the Metro