The Treatment

Act One:

It's dusk and the focus of the scene is on a circus tent. Spotlights are positioned all around it, waving back and forth, until they suddenly switch off with only the lights from the rides glowing faintly in the background. Moments later bright flashes of blue light emerge from within the tent, filtering out through the  entrance and gaps between the tent and ground. The flashes stop and the spotlights come back on.

Inside the tent, a performance is taking place, the scene being viewed from within the audience in the bleachers who are waiting eagerly for what is about to happen next. Focusing in more on the performance there is a clown dressed as a mad scientist standing in a laboratory set, addressing the audience. Next to him, are two fishbowls with a ring between them. Inside one of the fishbowls is a clownfish. The clown has just pretended to make his partner, the clownfish, a genius through the apparent use of science (the fancy light show), making him capable of performing tricks, having told the audience previously that the fish could not do so beforehand. The clown turns away from the audience and moves to light the ring in between the fishbowls. Once the ring it lit, the audience waits patiently for the fish to perform his trick, however the fish has other plans. Instead, feeling the clown is getting the credit for the fish being a genius and the performance, the fish refuses to make the jump which inevitably makes the clown look bad. The audience isn't impressed, some of them making it clear with boo's and tomatoes.

Act Two:

Annoyed, the clown circles the set and then lowers himself so he is staring into the fish's eyes. After an exchange in looks the clown gestures his annoyance whilst the fish simply responds by splashing water in his face. The clown picks up the fishbowl and shakes it, trying to force the fish to do the jump. However the clown soon realises he is still in the middle of the performance, and places the fishbowl back on the table. The clown, now without an act, faces the audience and begins to perform his usual clown tricks which unfortunately start the fail in his angry and panicked state. The clown makes balloon animals that keep bursting or deflating, he squirts members of the audience with his fake flower much to their annoyance. The clown even tries driving around in a tiny car but to no avail. The audience doesn't find his tricks or gags funny and more people join the booing and tomato throwing.

Pleased with what he has caused so far, the clownfish decides it's time to add the finishing touches to the clown's embarrassing performance by up-staging him. In one effortless attempt the clownfish jumps out of the water, through the ring of fire and into the neighbouring bowl. The audience who by now are paying more attention to the fish, applaud him for his trick. The clown, now realising the fish has made the jump, moves in to take a bow for the performance. The clownfish, knowing that the clown would do something like this, doesn't stop there though.

Act There:

In an attempt to make the performance go out with a bang (and not in the good way) the clownfish goes for another jump, only this time he purposely knocks over the ring of fire causing the set to catch on fire. The audience look in horror as the fire starts and spreads, some gasping and yelping. The fire spreads more rapidly and the audience begin to panic and move. By this point the clown has realised the applause has stopped and people are running away. He turns to find the set is on fire and is greatly alarmed. Meanwhile the clownfish floats in his bowl content with his masterpiece. Grabbing the nearest fire extinguisher, the clown attempts to put out the fire, for it to start blowing bubbles everywhere. The clown looks at the label on the side and notices it says 'do not use in case of fire'.

Outside the audience is running as the tent goes up in a quick burst of flames, turning it into ash. The flame puts itself out, leaving an burnt tent in its wake. The tent ashes then disintegrate revealing a blackened clown and the clownfish, sitting amongst the ashes. The clown looks down at the clownfish who is swimming around, very satisfied that his revenge has been fulfilled and bearing a cheeky grin. Seeing this, the clown faints and falls backwards as the scene fades.