Editing Script for a Jester's Tear (section)

==Release==
''Script for a Jester's Tear'' was released in the United Kingdom on 13 March 1983 by EMI on vinyl housed in a gatefold sleeve. In the United States and Canada, it was available through [[Capitol Records]].

===Critical reception===
In his review for ''[[Kerrang!]]'', Dave Dickson said, "As a debut album this is extremely impressive, fully living up to the band's previous promise".<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Dickson |first=Dave |date=6 April 1983 |title=Marillion – 'Script for a Jester's Tear' (EMI EMC 3429) |magazine=[[Kerrang!]] |location=London |publisher=Spotlight Publications |issue=38 |page=10}}</ref> John Franck gave the album a retrospective rating of four-and-a-half stars out of five on [[AllMusic]]. He called it "a vital piece for any Marillion head and an essential work for any self-respecting first- or second-generation prog rock fan".<ref name="AllMusic"/>

===Commercial performance===
''Script for a Jester's Tear'' was a commercial success, reaching number seven in the United Kingdom and spending 31 weeks on the charts, the second-longest album chart residency for Marillion.<ref name="UK albums"/> It was awarded a platinum certification by British Phonographic Industry on 5 December 1997 for over 300,000 copies sold.<ref name="BPI certification"/> In the United States, it failed to make any impact, peaking at number 175 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart.<ref name="Billboard 200"/>

The album generated two hit singles in the United Kingdom. The first single, "[[He Knows You Know]]", preceded the release of ''Script for a Jester's Tear'' and launched the group into the top 40, reaching number 35. The second single, "[[Garden Party (Marillion song)|Garden Party]]", was released on 6 June 1983 and peaked at number 16.<ref name="Marillion"/> "He Knows You Know" gained some airplay in the United States and reached number 21 on the ''Billboard'' [[Mainstream Rock (chart)|Mainstream Rock]] chart.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/Marillion/chart-history/hot-mainstream-rock-tracks |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820053947/https://www.billboard.com/music/Marillion/chart-history/hot-mainstream-rock-tracks |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 August 2018 |title=Marillion Chart History (''Billboard'' Mainstream Rock) |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=19 August 2018}}</ref>

===Reissues===
''Script for a Jester's Tear'' was first released on CD in 1985. As part of a series of Marillion eight studio albums made on a contract with EMI, the album was 24-bit digitally remastered between April and July 1997 and expanded with a second disc containing bonus tracks, including all tracks from the debut single. This edition was issued on 29 September 1997 and has been in print to date. The remastered version was also issued without the second disc in 2000 and contained a pared-down booklet. A new 180g heavy weight vinyl edition featuring a gatefold sleeve and the original artwork was released in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marillion.com/music/albums/script.htm |title=Script for a Jesters Tear |website=Racket Records Store |access-date=19 August 2018 |archive-date=18 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718144336/http://www.marillion.com/music/albums/script.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2020, EMI released a deluxe version of the album with four CDs and a Blu-ray disc that contains new remixes of the original album, the full "Market Square Heroes" 12" single (except for the original version of "Market Square Heroes" which is replaced by the "Battle Priest" version), and a previously unreleased live set from 1982 at London's Marquee Club. In addition to that, the Blu-ray also includes the previously released ''[[Recital of the Script]]'' video and, as extras, promo films of some tracks from the album. It was the penultimate release of Fish era Marillion albums in a recent deluxe reissue campaign that also includes ''[[Misplaced Childhood]]'', ''[[Clutching at Straws]]'', ''[[Brave (Marillion album)|Brave]]'', and ''[[Afraid of Sunlight]]''. ''[[Fugazi (album)|Fugazi]]'' is the last album put out in this format so far, having been released on September 1, 2021.