Philippe Gaulier, the French clown, died on February 9, 2026.
He was a professor of theatre, dramatic theorist, pedagogue and master clown, and founded École Philippe Gaulier, a theatre school in Étampes, outside Paris. After studying at Théâtre National Populaire under Jean Vilar and Alain Cuny, and later under Jacques Lecoq, he taught at L’École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq.
Gaulier also wrote The Tormentor (Le Gégèneur), a book on theatre exercises and his views on the stage, and influenced theatre companies in Britain and elsewhere across Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Philippe Gaulier (4 March 1943 – 9 February 2026) 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 (Le Gégèneur), 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.