In the barn with his cattle, he often gets the ideas for his programs. With monotonous work like milking cows, he can switch off his head and think up new texts, which he always writes himself. The trained registrar, almost opera singer, trained actor and cabaret artist is this week with his third solo program “One for all – All for none”. on stage at Circus Krone. In October he moderates the Bavarian Cabaret Prize.
Monday: Cooking ideas in the swimming pool
Martin Frank likes to do his lengths in the Nordbad and meets older ladies in the pool to exchange recipes.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
Similar to a pastor, I have “free time” on Monday. On a day like this, I usually take care of my unloved paperwork. It is inconceivable that many years ago I completed an apprenticeship as an administrative clerk and further training as a registrar. Then I go swimming. I would love to tell you now that I go to the beautiful Müller’sche Volksbad and artistically swim my art nouveau lengths in a pair of swimming trunks from Vilebrequin that cost 800 euros. But this is not the case. I live in Maxvorstadt and that’s why I usually swim in a 40-euro swimming trunks in the Nordbad. Because of my working hours, I tend to have more contact with pensioners.
We are a lovely group consisting of three older ladies and myself. We swim three lanes, then water aerobics and finally a slow expulsion with the swimming noodle while sharing recipes. In the evenings I visit my old acting school, Zerboni. The play “To be or not to be” by Nick Whitby is performed in the in-house “Zentraltheater”. A 1942 drama comedy film.
Tuesday: Ice cream after voice training
For the cabaret artist, ice is not just ice. His favorite ice cream parlor is “Ballabeni”, which doesn’t make Italian gelato but ice cream – there’s a difference.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
Even after completing my acting training, I regularly train my voice with my voice coach. Since Corona we have moved our speech training outside to the Hofgarten. Should you stroll through it on a Tuesday and observe two gentlemen who look like father and son, who yell at trees with the vocal chain: “tlo, tlu, tla, tle, …” or try to do so by flapping their lips loudly and stretching out index finger to build an imaginary pile of leaves – don’t worry, that’s all correct.
I then treat myself to an ice cream in my favorite ice cream parlor “ballabeni”. Since I once completed a gelato course myself during Corona out of existential fear, I have to make a quick fuss and tell you that this is not Italian gelato, but ice cream. The difference is the higher fat content. Then I have to go to the airport. I’m performing as a warm-up for an Austrian colleague in Graz.
Wednesday: Whoever laughs first
Together with the cabaret artist Franziska Wanninger, Frank wrote the book “Der famose” Freistaat”.
(Photo: Hartmut Pöstges)
I use the train ride back to Munich to work on my program. Of course, no two evenings are the same and every county has a different sense of humour. We from Lower Bavaria, for example, do laugh, but in such a way that you don’t hear it. Austria is also very interesting. I had my premiere in Vienna and the series of events was called: “Vienna is laughing!” – the only question was: when? But today I’m going to the beautiful Kurhaus in Bad Tölz. But before that, I’m going to visit my colleague Franziska Wanninger, with whom I’m writing the book “The famous Free State” actually a Bavaria guide for “Prissn”, but we also learned a lot while writing. Did you know that Munich was so destroyed after the Second World War that there were plans to rebuild the city on Lake Starnberg? Then go we eat thai in a tiny place called manam, they have the best pad thai in town in my opinion.
Thursday: Strange communication
Zoom meeting in the morning. I had high hopes that these online meetings would decrease again. I cannot and do not want to get used to communicating with people via screen. Normally, I’m good at judging people, but with the camera I can’t do that anymore. If I were at home in the Bavarian Forest, I could justify the bad internet connection and skip the meeting. But I’m in Munich. Actually, the reason for the meeting is a good one: I have the great honor of being able to moderate the Bavarian Cabaret Prize in the Lustspielhaus this year. In general, I would like to recommend the Munich cabaret stages to you. Most have made it through this pandemic with difficulty and have earned viewers again. Dare and forget this crazy world for two hours.
Friday: Arias in the pedestrian center
Today it’s time for me to train my voice again. Don’t yell at trees in the courtyard garden, but practice Schubert songs on Sendlinger Strasse. I’ve been taking private singing lessons once a week since I was 15. I once had the naïve dream of becoming an opera singer, but I couldn’t assert myself against the great competition in the entrance exams. Now the cabaret audience has to put up with my arias. In addition to the talent, of course, I also lack the virtuoso name for the big opera stage. Do you know this task from German lessons, where you have to cross out the inappropriate word in a chain of words? Example: Pavarotti, Villazon, Netrebko, Frank. If you want to leave the couch at home tonight, I have something for you. In the People’s Theater “The misanthrope” Premiere, and premieres are always nice if you don’t have to be on stage yourself!
Saturday: Candy before Solo
To calm down before big performances, he needs a lot of sweets, for example a lard noodle at the Viktualienmarkt.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
Today a big dream comes true for me. I’m allowed my for the first time Solo program at Circus Krone play, and the performance is even sold out. I can’t tell you anything exciting about that day, because I can’t do anything except get a donut, an Auszog’ne and a Rohrnudel in the Schmalznudel at the Viktualienmarkt to calm myself down. In case you’re wondering who’s going to eat all this? Yes, me of course!
Sunday: At home in the woods
In the Bavarian Forest, he recommends a hike to Falkenstein Castle, which offers good regional cuisine.
(Photo: Martin Siepmann/mauritius images)
Today I’ll take it easy and drive home to the farm in Lower Bavaria. As much as I love Munich, I need this balance just as badly. In this “artist bubble” in which I inevitably move, there are currently difficult issues such as political correctness, racism, gender issues around the clock. At home on the farm there are only two important issues: How will the weather be? And what’s for lunch today? You can’t even imagine how good this is. In addition, dealing with our cows relaxes me. If I arrive with my big city rush and try to milk, I’ll be given a painful kick in the next moment. If you are also looking for inner peace, I recommend a hike here in the Bavarian Forest. The large Falkenstein offers good food on the mountain.
Martin Frank was born in 1992 in Hutthurm near Passau. He grew up on his parents’ farm and completed his training as a registrar. At the age of 21 he resigned and initially wanted to be an opera singer, but failed the exam at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. Nevertheless, he was drawn to the stage, and so he auditioned at the acting school Zerboni in Munich and, despite his massive speech impediment (dialect), was admitted to the three-year acting training. In 2015 his first cabaret solo program was released. In 2018, in addition to the second solo program, the Bavarian Cabaret Prize followed. Since then he has performed on stages all over Bavaria and sometimes even beyond the borders of the Free State and wrote the book “Der famose Freistaat” with his colleague Franziska Wanninger.