He has published The Tormentor (Le Gégèneur), a book discussing his thoughts on the theatre and containing exercises designed to develop an actor's skill.

[1] Sacha Baron Cohen, Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Roberto Benigni, Simon McBurney, Kathryn Hunter, Viggo Venn, Mathew Baynton number among his students.

At 8 years old he was kicked out of school for punching his gymnastics teacher; he has stated that he does not regret this as the instructor made students march as though they were in the army.

Organised by Small Nose Productions, Philippe returns to the UK once a year to runs workshops at Trestle Arts Base in St Albans, Herts.

[2] His methodology of teaching is designed to allow the student to develop their own strengths, following specific principles but no defined method;[3] He does not emphasize technique or physical virtuosity.

This approach notably differs from that of his teacher, the famous late master bouffon Jacques Lecoq, who is seen by some as a guru of modern movement-based theatre.

[2] This has equally received praise from his students; Sacha Baron Cohen described him in 2001 as "brutally honest," but also said that he "was so lacking in pretension that he made acting what it should be, which is fun.

"[3] A Facebook group called "Philippe Gaulier Hit Me With a Stick" collected instances of these insults, including "you sound like overcooked spaghetti in a pressure cooker,” and “you are a very good clown for my grandmother.

[1] In 2020, after meeting several of Gaulier's former women students who did not think they were good, Gaulier's former student turned clown teacher Deanna Fleysher wrote that his style did not work for many people, especially those who are marginalised and women, and that it was "macho, abusive, bootcamp-style sadism befitting frat houses and old-school military training."

Gaulier has since rejected this, and argued that his teaching works equally well with women, his criticism is "a game between the teacher and the student," and that his classes were still full.