Q&A: EDINBURGH 2024: Tom Hearn on HOW FABULOUS IS THAT?!

BWW caught up with Tom Hearn about bringing How Fabulous is That?! to the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

How did you first get involved in the world of comedy?

Like most comedians, I went to theatre school and I realised I smoke too much to make my musical Theatre Dreams come true at the time!  Ever since I was a kid, I was obsessed with the show SNL [Saturday Night Live], so I decided to move to Toronto and take improv and sketch at The Second City. Following in the footsteps of the Canadian greats like Mike Myers, Catherine O’Hara, Dan Akroyd, Eugene Levy, Martin Short . . . Eventually I worked my way up to the National Touring Company, but along the way I’ve worked in award-winning sketch troupes, won the Canadian Comedy Award for my sketch ensemble “Extravaganza Eleganza” and have created multiple internationally sold-out solo tours.

Can you tell us a bit about your show, How Fabulous is That?!?

How Fabulous is That?! is my third solo show! It debuted in Toronto in the spring of this year. This FABULOUS extravaganza will include a hit parade of my iconic impressions like Martha Stewart, James Corden and, of course, Ina Garten. It’s jam-packed with musical performances, gag-worthy original characters, stand-up and wickedly sharp improv. If that is not enough, I control all the tech live on stage with a series of pedals and buttons! 

Since the debut, I’ve taken the show to New York City and Philadelphia, which were co-produced by Live Nation. How Fabulous is That?! was a part of the Saint John Theatre Company’s Summer Series and won the Producers Pick of the Montreal Sketch Comedy Festival. My North American tour continues in the fall with LA, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Chicago, Boston and the iconic Off-Broadway staple Joe’s Pub in New York! 

What inspired you to create How Fabulous is That?!?

The genesis of this show began with my viral impression of the matriarch of the Food Network, Ina Garten, but the goal of this show was always to bridge the gap between my live performances and my online persona. The show should feel like you’re watching the Internet . . . LIVE! 

What was the creative process like for How Fabulous is That?!?

I worked with the fantastic Carly Heffernan, who is the former artistic director of Second City Toronto. Because this show features so much improv, it was important for me to work with Carly, because when it comes to structured improv, she is the best in the business. I also wrote new music with Jordan Armstrong, who has performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as well! I wrote and workshopped the stand-up components of this show over the course of a year, but one of the biggest hurdles to jump over was the technical component of the show. I wanted to have complete control over the tech from on-stage. So, with the help of the technical director of the Second City Toronto (Connor Low), I have created a system of buttons, pedals, touch screens and projectors that allows me to create all the tech I need for the show live on stage in the moment. On the fly. Think of it as technical choreography.

What is it like bringing How Fabulous is That?! to the Edinburgh Fringe from Toronto?

The first feeling that comes to mind is excitement! I’ve wanted to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe since I was a theatre nerd in high school ___ many years ago. The second feeling that comes to mind is, how am I going to fit all of this stuff into a suitcase? The third feeling is fear of the unknown which is a feeling that happens to every single Fringe, and that’s what makes Fringe so exciting and rewarding.

What is it about impressions that you think are so appealing? What is it like performing them for social media versus a live audience?

One of my favourite things about sketch comedy is playing a character. Impressions, to me, is just dialing the difficulty level up - impressions come naturally to me because I love playing characters so much! I think that’s why I fell into sketch comedy so easily. It’s fun for me to flip from one character to the next and impressions just make it more challenging, because I look at them like a character study. 

I prefer doing my impressions live! In the context of How Fabulous is That?!, the impressions are improvised with the audience, so they vary from night to night. Obviously, the online version of my impressions look more polished, but I truly approach them in the exact same fashion as I would when I perform them live, I don’t do a million takes until I get it just perfect - I do it until I find it funny and it makes me laugh.

What do you hope audiences take away from How Fabulous is That?!?

I know people are going to leave singing some catchy songs and most importantly, people are just going to have a damn good time. My goal is to be laughing right along with them!

How would you describe How Fabulous is That?! in one word?

. . . Fabulous.

How Fabulous is That?! runs from 2 to 24 August (no performances on 5, 11, 12 or 19 August) at theSpace @ Surgeons Hall at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Photo Credit: Arin Sang-urai

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