Philippe Gaulier

Philippe Gaulier was a French professor of theatre, dramatic theorist, pedagogue, and master clown. He was the founder of École Philippe Gaulier, a French theatre school in Étampes, outside Paris. After studying under Jean Vilar and Alain Cuny at Théâtre National Populaire and then under Jacques Lecoq, Gaulier was an instructor at L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq. Known for his "legendarily terrifying teaching style", he published The Tormentor, a book discussing his thoughts on the theatre and containing exercises designed to develop an actor's skill. Gaulier had a significant influence on British theatre, where his teaching inspired the creation of numerous theatre companies including the Théâtre de Complicité, as well as theatre companies throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Gaulier was known for performing in both clown and bouffon comic genres, in addition to his work as a playwright and director.