Script for a Jester's Tear

Nick Tauber produced it after David Hitchcock, who had made Market Square Heroes, was badly hurt in a car crash. Simon Hanhart engineered it at The Marquee Studios, and Mark Wilkinson painted the cover. The band described it as an album of concepts linked by isolation. Kelly played a Steinway grand on the record alongside synthesizers and an Emulator.

It reached seven in Britain and stayed on the chart for 31 weeks. Kerrang!'s Dave Dickson found it extremely impressive for a debut. Looking back, Fish said his high falsetto had been forced, and Rothery said he had lacked the experience to get the guitar sound he wanted. It is Pointer's only studio album with the band. A 2020 deluxe edition added a new remix, a Marquee Club show from December 1982 and the documentary Sackcloth & Greasepaint.