Bermuda’s own Daren Herbert, who was the pianist in the Oscar-winning production “Dream Girls”, is now in a show called “Imagine”, which opened on Wednesday at the Universal Studios in Japan.

“It’s an atmosphere show about a half-hour long and we’ll perform on the Blues Brothers stage here inside the park,” said Mr. Herbert.

“The music is all Beatles hits remixed with a sort of hip-hop/R&B flavour with tons of dancing and theatrics.

“It is done in the style of a travelling road show or vaudeville, and is kind of like the musical ‘Pippin’.”

He says it has been intense, although rehearsals have been a lot of fun. “George Ratliffe, our director, is pleased as punch with what we’ve got here.

“As for the audiences, we’ll find out tomorrow,” he said earlier this week.

“Final dress rehearsal is tonight, in two hours as a matter of

fact!”

Of Osaka, he said, the people are beautiful and it brings back memories of home.

“They remind me a lot of Bermudians in that they are quite conservative and spiritual in a way that makes me think of photos of Bermi from the 50s,” he said.

“This area is also a very bicycle-oriented neighbourhood and I ride all over the place. I live right on the water here in Osaka Harbour, so it’s refreshingly familiar in that way.

“It almost makes me forget that I can’t read many of the signs, magazines or instructions on the screens of the ATM machines.”

He lives in a building with many of the other foreign performers.

“There are singers, dancers, stuntmen, acrobats and face character performers from Australia, the US, China, and Russia among others.

“There’s even a young man named Trevor from Virginia whose family is from Bermuda, Tucker’s I believe he said.

“He’s in the Blues Brothers show and we saw Stevie Wonder live in concert together last week.” He sends a huge note of gratitude to his Bermuda fans and said: “Thanks for the interest and blessings to one and all.”