French Theatre Master Philippe Gaulier's Enduring Impact on New Zealand's Performing Arts

The death of Philippe Gaulier at 82 marks the end of an era for international theatre, but his profound influence on New Zealand's performing arts landscape continues to shape the nation's dramatic traditions.

The French master clown and theatre pedagogue's teaching methods have been woven into the fabric of New Zealand theatre since the 1970s, primarily through Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School and its network of graduates.

Foundational Influence at Toi Whakaari

Nola Millar, Toi Whakaari's founding director in 1970, recognised the École Jacques Lecoq, where Gaulier trained and later taught, as exceptional in theatrical education. This early connection established pathways that would bring Gaulier's methodologies directly to New Zealand stages.

Several of Gaulier's graduates became instrumental figures at Toi Whakaari, including Tom McCrory, who served as Head of Movement from 1998 to 2013, and Christian Penny, who directed the institution from 2011 to 2018. Award-winning director Nina Nawalowalo also brought Gaulier's techniques to New Zealand theatre.

Cultural Adaptation and Innovation

In 2002, Nawalowalo and McCrory established The Conch, a theatre company dedicated to Pasifika narratives using visual and physical theatre forms influenced by Gaulier's approach. McCrory attributes the method's success in New Zealand to the nation's character, noting that "New Zealanders are inventive by necessity."

Gaulier's pedagogy, rooted in Jacques Lecoq's traditions of mask work, mime, and clown performance, emphasised "Le Jeu" (the game) and complicité, concepts that encourage collaborative play between performers and audiences.

Contemporary Theatre Companies

Several New Zealand theatre companies continue to employ Gaulier's methods. Massive Theatre Company, founded by Samantha Scott in 1991, maintains strong connections to Gaulier's school. Scott studied directly with Gaulier from 2012 to 2014, observing his teaching methods firsthand.

According to Scott, Gaulier particularly appreciated New Zealanders' "gutsiness," noting the significant number of New Zealand actors who travelled to study at his school.

A Slightly Isolated Dog, formed in 2005, extends Gaulier's concept of complicité to include audiences in their performances. Director Leo Gene Peters collaborates with Gaulier-trained artists, including Jonathan Price, who studied with the master in 2016.

Cultural Legacy

The company's works, including adaptations of Don Juan, Jekyll & Hyde, and The Trojan War, demonstrate how Gaulier's philosophy of creating "a place where, in the grip of pleasure and freedom, everyone is beautiful" continues to influence New Zealand's theatrical landscape.

This French theatrical tradition has found particularly fertile ground in New Zealand, where the emphasis on collaborative creativity and audience engagement aligns with local cultural values and the nation's innovative theatrical spirit.