JUST NOW;International star set to sign for Leeds United’s early Championship opponents as ‘medical booked

LEEDS, ENGLAND - APRIL 19: Diego Llorente of Leeds United celebrates with Pascal Struijk and Ian Poveda after scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Leeds United and Liverpool at Elland Road on April 19, 2021 in Leeds, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Lee Smith - Pool/Getty Images)

International star set to sign for Leeds United’s early Championship opponents as ‘medical booked

Cardiff City are expected to complete the sensational signing of former Arsenal and Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey on a free transfer ahead of the opening game of the season against Leeds United.

The Welsh club are said to have been informed by 32-year-old Ramsey that the he intends to join his boyhood club, opting to turn down a lucrative move to the Middle East in order to return home.

Cardiff are unable to pay a transfer fee due to their existing embargo, but are permitted to sign players for free and on loan. According to WalesOnline, a medical has been booked for the Wales captain this Thursday, however Ramsey’s entourage still need to iron out the creases in his OGC Nice contract.

The Ligue 1 club must agree to Ramsey’s release before he can re-join the Bluebirds as he reportedly played the requisite number of games there last season to trigger a 12-month extension.

Ramsey broke through at the Cardiff City Stadium before sealing a money-spinning transfer to Arsenal whilst still a teenager. Playing over 250 times in the Premier League, the 32-year-old scored 40 times, and has made 58 Champions League appearances throughout his decorated career, which has seen him win three FA Cups, a Serie A title and rack up 82 caps for Wales, featuring at European Championships and the World Cup.

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After the success of productions like ‘Piaf’ and ‘Quality Street’, they have dreamt up another beauty, this time an entirely original musical by David West Read, best known for his work on the TV show ‘Schitt’s Creek’ and the musical ‘& Juliet’.

‘In Dreams’ is based on the songs of Roy Orbison, the ‘soul of rock’ or the ‘Big O’ as he is also known. The story follows former singing sensation Kenna, and her search for a final, joyous send off after a recent cancer diagnosis.

The whole show is set in a Mexican restaurant that specialises in uplifting parties that celebrate the loves and lives of the recently deceased. Kenna loves the concept so much that she asks the restaurant to throw one just for her, controversially whilst she’s still alive. To celebrate fully and devoid of any close family, she invites her original band members who’ve not been together for 15 years, with her once best friend Jane (now settled down with fellow band member Donovan and their 5 children) and her former lover, the charming English rogue Ramsey.

Whilst the reunion allows the band members to learn some home truths about their relationships, the musical also follows the loves and losses of the family who own the restaurant. Woven throughout the two contrasting tales (the settled Mexican family and the wayward former rock band) are the themes of love, acceptance and, of course, dreams.

The first thing that strikes us is the originality of the production, the mixture of Kenna as a singer and rock star on stage performing for us, and then Kenna as a real human being, struggling with illness and loneliness.

The energy of the production also hits us immediately, with the fast pace, slick choreography and smooth transitions. The actions themselves are also highly creative, with many of the quick jumps created instantly with multifunctional props and clever lighting, much in the style of shows like ‘Come From Away’. Everything about this production is polished and flawless, each action having been carefully considered.

Lena Hall, who performs the role of Kenna, is outstanding, both as an actress and a rock singer. Her portrayal of a woman fighting to take control of her diagnosis whilst undergoing a journey of discovery that allows her to accept her own loneliness, is both convincing and deeply moving. Her husky, powerful voice is versatile, allowing her to belt out the fast-paced rock songs of the 1960’s whilst also performing the harrowing country love songs that Orbison became famous for later on in the 1980’s. Her lover Ramsey, performed by Oliver Tompsett, provides an excellent match for her, his cheeky, charming character and deep, rich singing voice making him the attractive bad guy every woman would love to tame

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