As a boy he played football in Ansbach, later Philipp Sommer (33) learns to be an offset printer. At the age of 14 or 15, the son of a bus company family discovered his interest in acting. “At first I didn’t even know how to do it. I thought you would go to the Bavariafilmstudios or to Hollywood,” he recalls. Monika Bdel talked to Philipp Sommer about the long way to permanent employment at Theater Krefeld Mnchengladbach and acting when he was visiting his brother in Lohr and his mother in Ansbach again.
Question: Mr. Sommer, what attracted you to becoming an actor? How does a youth in a football club get this idea?
Philipp Sommer: I don’t really know how that came about. I am a total dreamer and get lost in my thoughts. I love stories, whether as a film or a play. I also thought about becoming a screenwriter, but realized: I don’t want to write the stories, I want to portray them. At first I thought it was a dream, but there really are actors, only I didn’t know anyone and had to find the way myself. There was no school theater. That should be funded much more. At some point I realized that I am passionate about it.
You first did an apprenticeship as an offset printer. An apprenticeship that doesn’t exactly lead to the stage or in front of the camera. How did you pursue your childhood dream? You didn’t go to Hollywood.
My parents advised me to complete an apprenticeship first. During my apprenticeship I applied to five drama schools and mercilessly failed everywhere. Only a private school wanted me right away. But I couldn’t have paid the school fees. I wanted to keep trying and started dealing with theater, plays and characters. After my apprenticeship, I enrolled at the technical college in Wrzburg for the design branch. I learned more about the performing arts in the subjects of art and art history.
Many young people want to become an actress or actor without this wish ever becoming a reality. It worked for you. How did you do that?
I had saved up money when I was a journeyman and thought now or never. During the time at the Fos I applied again. Vain. I got advice from Horst Gursky. At that time he was director of the Scherenburg Festival in Gemnden. He told me: “If you want to be successful as an actor, you have to go to a state drama school, no matter how long it takes.” There are, of course, graduates from private schools who are successful, but they have a harder time in the market.
How many state schools are there?
17 in German-speaking countries with eight to 20 places each with 600 to 800 applicants. I went to audition at everyone in Germany at least once.
And how long did it take then?
The applications and auditions during my second year at the Fos in Wrzburg were also a flop. After completing my vocational qualification, I moved to Nuremberg to do the general high school diploma. At the same time, I applied again. The audition coincided with the Abitur preparation. When I went to audition, I had two backpacks on the train: one for high school, one for acting. I’ve already made it into the third or fourth round, but again not been taken.
Did you never want to throw it down?
Many acquaintances have said: “That makes no sense.” I wanted to try until I was too old. I had a plan B. I would have become an art teacher or a scriptwriter. You learn new things with every audition. Over time, I’ve noticed that every school values something different, and that each ticks differently. You can only find out by trying it out. I’ve found that you have to get started right away. The decisive factor is the first 30 seconds, not to mention the way in which you enter the room. Fortunately, I didn’t have any audition appointments during my high school diploma in 2012. They came two weeks later in Frankfurt and Stuttgart. In Frankfurt I made it to the final selection: I was among the last twelve men out of 800 applicants.
I thought this is my moment. And have not been taken. I kept my composure, but the disappointment was huge. A lecturer on the jury told me I was great and that she fought for me. That strengthened my back for the audition two weeks later in Stuttgart. I got back to the finals. As a task I got a monologue by Andri from Max Frisch’s “Andorra”. This is where the Fos came in handy. We had done “Andorra” in class, and my essay topic was Andris.
How did it end?
It started at 10 a.m. and everything should be ready by 6 p.m. We had to wait a long time. The decision wasn’t made until 10 p.m. and by then I was completely exhausted with my nerves. I sat there and just looked at my feet. Three names have been mentioned of those who come in. The fourth was mine. For a moment I hadn’t even registered that Philipp was me. Then I called my mother first.
Did your parents support your career aspiration?
At first they didn’t like it that much, but they tolerated it. They couldn’t imagine that this was a job. They gave me financial support and paid for train rides to audition. Over time they realized how serious I am. My father died in 2010. Unfortunately, he only experienced my dry spell.
What is it that fascinates you so much about acting that you have tried again and again?
You have a lot more options than in real life. You can be an action hero, a postman or a Roman tyrant. Maybe it runs in the family too. My grandfather from Steinbach thought it was great when he found out that I wanted to be an actor. My uncle told me that my grandfather was a passionate actor in amateur theater after the war. After the war it was all about making money. There was little space for hobbies. My uncle likes to perform at village festivals. My mother is not that kind of person on stage. Of course she was very happy when I was accepted in Stuttgart.
What experiences did you have at the drama school?
I thought it was great to be able to do what others do in their free time during my studies: sport, dance. I had fun going fencing at 10 a.m. 10 o’clock, that was for others to get up early. When I was still working in the print shop in Wrzburg, I had to leave at five in the morning. I worked night shifts. Those years have not been in vain. When I came to drama school when I was 24, I had different experiences, more maturity. The downside was that I was more stable and closed.
For the first two years I had to find my way around and I didn’t dare. Acting training is actually a study of yourself. It took me longer to get rid of my socialized tank. You have to be gross, be a pig, not be afraid of emotions. It’s not about glitz and glamor, about self-expression. Many are disaffected and sometimes it happens that one or the other breaks off their studies.
What is your advice to young people who want to become actors?
If that’s what you really want, try or you won’t find out. Be diligent and disciplined, work on yourself. Be open to criticism. Don’t let yourself be talked out of it if you really want to. The world needs dreamers.
What for?
To show that dreams can come true. Dreamers are important because they go about the world imaginatively and let others participate in their imaginations.
How do you see the effects of the corona pandemic on the theater?
The theater survived 3000 years, many crises and disasters. The pandemic and its aftermath will change the theater. But this appointment to experience something live together at a certain time will continue, even if it is difficult at the moment. We had planned a great season at Theater Krefeld Mnchengladbach. Instead of ten new productions, there will only be five for the time being, because we can only play on the big stage because of the distance requirement. You have to be creative and find translations for love scenes or fights. I’m worried about the small theaters, the free theaters. They often do great productions and are now threatened with bankruptcy. Many artists have livelihood problems.
How does the situation affect you personally?
I currently have the luxury of a permanent position. I use the time left by fewer rehearsals, for example, to work on a solo program on Jeanne D’Arc. I also learn new things, such as juggling, and keep myself fit with speaking exercises so that I don’t lose my practice. When I was at drama school I had an exercise against the Franconian dialect with its rolling R. To do this, I had to train certain muscles in the throat. My exercise was as follows: The knight rides through the rain with his rusty armor.
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