Liverpool FC today announced the signing of Brazillian goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri from Palmeiras.

Last year’s failure of understudy Charles Itandje was a worry for Manager Rafa Benitez, but the arrival of 25 year old Cavalieri should put his mind at ease. Pepe Reina will continue as first choice ‘keeper but Cavaliere says he’s here to challenge for the No.1 jersey.

It is still unclear who will be 3rd choice keeper for the forthcoming season but the Reds have several options. 22 year old David Martin is the current 3rd choice, but there has been talk of him going on loan to a Championship team. 18 year old Peter Gulacsi played most of the Reserve games last season but he is only on loan until August. Liverpool have an option to buy him at that stage and I expect them to take it. If they don’t they have Danish keeper Martin Hansen and Austalian Dean Bouzanis in the Academy who are both 18.

The pre-season games will no doubt give a better indication of who the 3rd choice might be, starting with Tranmere away this Saturday. That game is live on LFCTV.

Liverpool FC today announced their 2nd signing in as many days. Yesterday it was Swiss right-back Philipp Degen and today it’s Italian left-back Andrea Dossena. These two signings mean that the defensive part of Liverpool’s squad is sorted, and ready for the next season.

Philipp Degen

25 year old Degen, was signed on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund. He signed a 4 year deal. Before Dortmund he played for FC Basel where he won 2 domestic league titles and gained Champion’s League experience. He is an attacking full-back with pace and strength.

Andrea Dossena

26 year old Dossena signs for £7m from Udinese. He too has signed a 4 year deal and is also described as a strong attacking full-back.

The signing of two attacking full backs (more…)

Romantic-Comedies aren’t my favourite genre (yes, I consider them a genre), but when they’re right they’re quite good. When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless In Seattle, for example, are films that can withstand repeat viewing. I’m sure there are others but they are the only 2 I can think of right now that I would put in the ‘great’ category.

Harry and Sally gave the 80’s their best rom-com, Sleepless takes the 90’s gong, but the naughties are still waiting for a rom-com worthy of repeat viewings. 2000’s What Women Want had it’s moments, but the fact that a film like Love Actually is held in such high esteem these days how far away from Harry and Sally we are.

Enter Cameron Crowe. Yes, Elizabethtown wasn’t great (although I still found it watchable), but Jerry Maguire was close to greatness. Crowe is to start filming a yet untitled movie with Ben Stiller and Reese Witherspoon in January.

I have a good feeling about this one. Witherspoon is made for rom-com, so teaming her up with Crowe is an obvious move. Stiller could go either way, but after making Orlando Bloom as close to watchable as is humanly possible I have faith in Crowe’s handling.

Anyone think of a leading man who would have been a better choice than Stiller. There aren’t many out there who fit rom-com these days.

A hidden camera has been discovered inside the Man Utd boardroom and it seems Ronaldo is to be sold to Real Madrid!

John McCarthy of Hammergrin graciously agreed to answer a few questions about The Iowa Project.

Q1. Where did the idea for the project come from?
The festival director, William Galinsky, really liked last year’s Threat of Humour, and met us to discuss working on a project for this year. He encouraged us to read the works of Philip K. Dick, feeling we’d riff off them well, and we did, and ran with it for the last six months.

Q2. What was the inspiration for the marketing campaign?
The poster picks up on the 50s comic book feel of the show, the blurb eggs up the classic sci-fi tone to the script, and the flyer (attached) is basically a cheap pun which allows us to advertise the show and feel better than normal people.

Q3. How much did the venue influence your ideas?
Massively. It is such a great space that we had to work with it, rather than against it, using the warehouse as a set, rather than trying to turn it into a theatre space. A lot of the show will take place in daylight, which streaks in the high windows and casts an eery glow over proceddings. The script was largely finished when we got in there but the way scenes unfolded and connected only came together when we got into the warehouse. It changed some big ideas in the script, in a good way.

[Ed - You can see a sneak preview of the set here.]

Q4. How does it relate to previous Hammergrin productions/events?
It taps into that 50s Americana which so informed The Threat of Humour and Trying Jokes - that ultra-serious masculine world which takes itself so seriosly it is actually funny.

Q5. Why did you choose the Midsummer Festival for this project?
Without the clout of the Midsummer behind this we wouldn’t have the budget, the pr, or a name sufficient to get the venue for the show. And the inspiration of Philip K.Dick wouldn’t have been there without William’s interest in Hammergrin.

The Old Distillery, North Mall
Sunday 22 – Saturday 28 June, 9pm
Tickets €15/€12