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February 12, 2026
‘Utterly hilarious’: Simon McBurney on how the great clown Philippe Gaulier changed his life
The Complicité founder remembers his teacher’s wicked laughter, provocative demands and infinite generosity
TL;DR
- Philippe Gaulier, a teacher in Paris, taught Simon McBurney not to carry baggage or preconceived ideas, emphasizing that 'knowing nothing is all you need'.
- Gaulier had a disdain for hypocrisy, inauthenticity, and institutions like the military and the church, reserving particular scorn for 'collaborateurs'.
- His teaching style was provocative, demanding, and hilarious, involving playing with students, insulting them, and cajoing them.
- Students learned to fail, start again, and jettison their own ideas, understanding that performance and vulnerability are key.
- Embracing the vulnerability of being laughed at was presented as essential for revealing one's humanity.
- Gaulier believed that an actor must remember what it is like to play as a child.
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