Balthazar Gaulier

​Balthazar Gaulier was born in Paris, France. When he was three years old, he and his family moved to London, England, where he stayed until he was 20 years old. This has engrained in him the english culture, and more importantly, humour! His childhood was one in which he was emerged in the arts. He took an interest in fine arts and pursued his studies at the École des Beaux Arts in Hampstead, England in 2003. As a young teen, Balthazar became passionate for hip-hop and rap, writing and performing his own songs regularly in London.

At the age of 21, Balthazar received a phone call from his dad that would change his life. It was his father, inviting him to study theatre with him in France. Balthazar packed and made the voyage to Paris to study with his father at his international theatre school, École Philippe Gaulier. His hope was to improve his stage presence and enhance his rapping skills. He didn’t realize that once the doors of theatre were opened to him, he would fall equally in love with directing as he had with hip-hop. He demonstrated skill while at his father’s school, and when he graduated, Balthazar was quickly invited by fellow graduates to direct their new theatre projects. It was clear that he had a natural eye.
Balthazar divides his time between London, England and Paris, France. He works in collaboration with emerging and established companies to promote new, funny and evocative work. Favorite projects include Bienvenue à Paris (Théâtre en Jeu), Etherdome (Penny Dreadful Company), La Gnole de Tante Christine est Imbuvable (Red Rabbit Theatre), and Dracula (The Last Baguette Company).

In his directing, Balthazar puts the actor in the centre of the game. His goal is to take away the artifices and unnecessary masks of an actor, and put him on stage with a naked fragility. He creates a supportive,  often very funny environment where his actors can feel safe to show their “côté fou”. He works in collaboration with actors to explore every option of game, and chooses with them the directions which bring out the most fun, pleasure and beauty in each person.