NEXT Magazine

Singles roundup: Sarah Vanderzon has top track New music from Shania Twain, Jon Kabongo and Meghan Patrick Who: Sarah Vanderzon (single of the week) What: Being Free When: Fri., July 10 Genre: Folk Rating: NNNNN (out of 5) Why you should listen: A slow-burn folk tune with a rousing, worth-the-wait payoff.

The 2026 Toronto Fringe Festival ended this past weekend, and boy, do I ever need a nap. I attended a total of 33 shows within the span of 13 days, which is scarcely even a quarter of the 123 total shows to choose from. Here at NEXT, we published a grand total of 24 reviews of individual Fringe shows. Not to brag, but that’s one more than our output from last year; that becomes even more impressive when you realize that we had two fewer writers on our fleet this year than in 2025.

What: Night Journey Where: Arts and Letters Club, 14 Elm St. When: Now, until Sat., July 11 Highlight: Realistic character portraits Rating: NN (out of 5) Why you should go: To try to see how The Odyssey is reflected in each character’s scenario With Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation of The Odyssey selling out cinemas far in advance of its premiere, there’s evidently a renewed interest in Ancient Greek mythology in the air.

What: Fray Where: Studio 162, 15 Adrian Ave., #162 When: Now, until Sun., July 12 Highlight: Melanie Pyne’s indelible performance and her My Fair Lady segue Rating: NNNN (out of 5) Why you should go: For the whiplash of dialogue and innovative set design Carrie meets The Brady Bunch from hell. Fray, written and directed by Robin North, is a watch layered with dark humour exploring matriarchal and patriarchal forces confined under one roof.

What: The Improper Identity Where: Native Earth’s Giizis Studio, 585 Dundas St. E. When: Now, until Sun., July 12 Highlight: Miho Suzuki’s spur of the moment jokes Rating: NNNN (out of 5) Why you should go: To witness the “pronunciationizer” device in action We’ve seen plenty of shows (and especially Fringe shows) about identity and immigration, but Miho Suzuki’s The Improper Identity sets itself apart with its humour, digital flair and unconventional execution.

Fringe Review: The passion and precision of ‘Tango After Midnight’ will knock your shoes off A dazzling fusion of ballet, tango and theatrical storytelling PointeTango Dance Company’s Erin Scott-Kafadar and Alexander Richardson | Photo by Miguel Espinoza What: Tango After Midnight Where: Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgeman Ave.

What: Assembly Süggested Where: Native Earth’s Giizis Studio, 585 Dundas St. E. When: Now, until Sat., July 11 Highlight: Subtle costume details and the confidence to not explain what they mean Rating: NNNN (out of 5) Why you should go: It’s a delightful melange of absurdity, frustration, heart … and even a ukelele For a play about two people trying to assemble something, writer-director Rymn Wadhwa’s Assembly Süggested is secretly about deconstruction.

The Way That I Felt Last Year The July Crowd Genre: Rock If you like: Knuckle Puck, Hot Mulligan, Real Friends Sound: Emo-punk vibes with a very 2000s feel Best track: Photosynthesis Rating: NNN (out of 5) Why you should listen: A moving, cathartic EP that finds a strong life in video form. For The July Crowd, 2026 has been a year of change.

What: UNSUNG: The Accidental Villains of History Where: Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson Ave.

What: He-r’tz Where: VideoCabaret’s Deanne Taylor Theatre, 10 Busy St. When: Now, until Sat., July 11 Highlight: Umbrellas functioning as shields with picturesque dance formations Rating: NNN (out of 5) Why you should go: The enticing dystopia the show brings you into In a world full of political noise, He-r’tz turns the body into a powerful expressive form for cutting through the cacophony.