Comedians, theatre-makers and actors including Rachel Weisz, Sally Phillips and Simon Munnery have recalled the late teacher Philippe Gaulier’s alarming lessons. Gaulier, who died recently, was renowned for his clowning workshops that pushed students to embrace failure and find their inner clown.
Sally Phillips described Gaulier’s understanding of people’s darkness and flaws, saying he gave her permission to be an idiot. She recalled a moment when she made him smile by dressing in leather and performing Lady Macbeth in a German accent. Simon Munnery remembered Gaulier’s bouffon workshops, where students played court jesters entertaining a king, testing the boundaries of foolery.
Rachel Weisz, who studied under Gaulier after moving from Australia, said the experience taught her to embrace ridicule. She noted that failing and being laughed at became an incredible feeling. Another student, Garry Starr, recalled Gaulier’s tough teaching style, where he would manipulate performances live until the student found their funny moment.
Gaulier’s method involved finding humour in failure. He once told a student to talk without making any sound, which resulted in a hilarious moment. His lessons extended to Shakespeare and Chekhov, where he added playful games like having Romeo and Juliet kiss each other on the nose after every line.
