Hugely influential clown teacher dies at 82

Philippe Gaulier, the Frenchman who trained generations of actors and comedians including Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter and Emma Thompson, has died aged 82.

His school in Étampes near Paris, École Philippe Gaulier, has produced scores of comedians who went on to have success at the Edinburgh Fringe, many of whom have paid tribute today. 

He died on Monday from complications following a lung infection. He had suffered a stroke in 2023 and since then had 'received warm words of encouragement from all over the world', his family said. 

Gaulier was known for his brutally honest approach – destroying performers' egos and encouraging them to 'find your idiot’. He established his school in 1980 after studying under Jacques Lecoq. 

Comedian Alexis Dubus, who often performs as French alter-ego Marcel Lucont, today recalled his time at the school, writing: ‘It was a properly unforgettable experience, being eloquently insulted many times over on a daily basis while trying to navigate often impossible tasks. I know the whole experience sounds like absolute hell to a lot of people, but at the heart of it all was play - life is a game that often makes no sense, and here we were holding a mirror up to that and absolutely indulging in the game.

‘It could be painfully intense at times, especially with him staring at you with that steely gaze… but the things he got out of people could be magical and transformative. 

Musical comedian Jaz Mattu said: ‘He was so calm in giving me advice, even if it was him mainly saying ‘standup is a load of shit’ to me. He taught me to be friends with failure and I will always have his lessons.’

Jeromaia Detto added: ‘He was such a character and truly lived and breathed the ethos of clown. It was such an incredible experience to be taught by him, and a real privilege to be part of his final ever second year class. I will be forever grateful for the lessons learnt, the guidance, and the piercing quips that landed effortlessly as he played in class.’

In one newspaper profile of Gaulier, comedian Phil Burgers, who performs as Doctor Brown, said: ’I had moments of extreme suffering there. It’s really, really hard. But once you can handle the insults, something inside you cracks and you can begin.'

Elf Lyons once wrote of her experiences with Gaulier telling her: ‘Your problem is that you try too hard to be nice. To be liked. It is not beautiful. I want to see you being a bitch. I want to see you enjoy being a bitch.’ The comic added: ‘This was something I had never been told to do. I had been told to play nice, be polite, be pretty.’

Baron Cohen previously called Gaulier 'the funniest man I've ever met'.  

Michiko Gaulier, Philippe’s wife, announced that her husband died at 9.30pm local time last night.

She said: ‘In his final moments, he was peaceful and beautiful. He did not suffer; he simply fell into an eternal sleep. It almost seemed as though he was smiling, as if relieved to be free once again.

‘Since his battle with illness began following a stroke in 2023, he received warm words of encouragement from all over the world. He seemed especially happy to receive letters and messages from his former students. Teaching was his passion and purpose in life. He was loved by so many people—what a truly happy life he lived.

‘We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who supported him, especially during these last three years of his illness.’

And Simon McBurney, founder and artistic director of the Théâtre de Complicité, posted on X today: ‘Philippe. Philippe Gaulier. My teacher, guide, disregulator, disrupter, pretension puncture-er, drum beater, laughter inducer, cringe creator, scourge of the suburban, supporter of idiocy… fuck… 

you’ve left us… 

…with so much. 

I owe you… 

I love you…

all ways…’

Published: 10 Feb 2026