EdFringe Review: Sandy Not Just on Sunday

This year, theQR.co.uk is partnering with the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland (TDFS) to support the continued development of new dance critics they began mentoring last year. This review of ‘Beats on Pointe’ has been contributed by Catherine Coutts, ceilidh caller and highland dance teacher writes…

When Pipe Major Alexander MacKellar of the 78th Highlanders arranged and named the pipe march which we know as ‘The Barren Rocks of Aden’ in the mid-1800s, I wonder if he could have foreseen that less than 200 years later it would be used as background music whilst a piano accordion player appeared on stage dressed as a giant packet of chips?

‘Sandy – Not on a Sunday’ is in the best tradition of wacky Edinburgh Fringe performances. At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Sandy Brechin started live-streaming weekly shows from his home, playing his own and other accordion compositions whilst dressed in a navy jumper and jeans. At some point, costumes (the more bizarre, the better) became a permanent fixture, together with animals (flatmates’ pets and stuffed) plus the occasional guest artist or two, and the show morphed into something entirely different…

In 2023, it jumped from the small screen into the Edinburgh Fringe, this year’s venue being Moxy Fountainbridge. The Lochrin Bar is a gorgeous location, well worth a visit (despite the somewhat disinterested bar staff,) and the open-air section has stunning views to the north of Edinburgh. The hotel has good accessibility.

On arrival, the audience is greeted by a man dressed as a nun (so far, so Fringe) who hands you a raffle ticket before sitting you in a velvet Chesterfield sofa. A further three nuns appear on stage, carrying an accordion, fiddle and guitar, before our host himself – Sandy Brechin – shoots on. Dressed as Dr No (from the Bond film) he treats us to a rendition of ‘We’ll meet again’ by Vera Lynn.

“At some point, costumes (the more bizarre, the better) became a permanent fixture, together with animals (flatmates’ pets and stuffed) plus the occasional guest artist or two, and the show morphed into something entirely different…“

To wonder what the connection is between the two might be missing the point of the show. Brechin then disappears behind a sparkly, black screen to re-appear dressed as (in no particular order): Bill Gates, Charlie or Craig from The Proclaimers, Hannibal Smith (the ‘A’ team), Yosemite Sam, Jean-Paul Gaultier’s sailor, the aforementioned giant pack of ‘Golden Fries’ and then it’s time for the raffle!!!

The (free) raffle is a definite highlight of the show for me, as Brechin and his assistants give away an equally bonkers set of prizes: The lucky winners take home spring onions, a CD and two beautifully carved wooden ornaments, produced by Brechin’s father. Other winners return their prizes, including a pair of men’s boxer shorts and a box of red hair dye, which holds the unique honour of being returned at every Fringe show for the past two years.

The musicians are joined in the second half by a stuffed dog on wheels for even more costume changes. Sandy’s lightning-fast playing is interspersed with comic stories and songs (a mix of the traditional and those you never thought you would hear on the accordion, such as ‘Computer Love’ by Kraftwerk).

The mayhem careers on and before you know it, we are finishing with Kenneth McKellar and ‘End of the Road’. Or so we think – suddenly a figure appears from behind the screen, running for the backstage area with only a towel to cover his modesty.

If you want a daft but hilarious show – for adults only – this is it!