Blast

Inspired by the vastly superior Stomp, Riverdance, and Tap Dogs, this "absolutely brilliant," "unique," "real-life Fantasia" (self-congratulatory descriptors from the included adulatory mini-doc "Music in Motion: The Making of Blast!") trots out 68 brass, percussion and "visual" performers onto London's Apollo Hammersmith Theatre stage for a 90 minute-plus drum and bugle corps style rampage through classics and contemporary offerings. Arranged--for no apparent artistic reason whatsoever--by semi-arbitrarily assigned "color" segments (Bernstein's "Officer Krupke"--presented here as a rather lame takeoff on the West Side Story original--is grouped in the "yellow" category, for instance), the musical selections range from Ravel's "Bolero" to Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring" with several original percussion-heavy numbers (arguably the best, certainly the most kinetic) thrown in for good measure. Does it have its moments? Yes. Even with such shopworn props as ribbons, flags and batons, Blast occasionally emits a few sparks, but make no mistake, this stuff belongs on the football field during Super Bowl halftime while people are stocking up on corndogs and soda, not on the London stage (which is, perhaps, why it closed after four months). Optional. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Pitman)