Prologue Summary

The setting is a circus tent. Two elderly men appear, dressed in the white uniforms of concession vendors. One, Mr. Zuss, is a balloon seller. The other, Nickles, is a popcorn seller. They arrive at the foot of the stage and describe the setting; the stage is heaven, and the audience is earth, they say. They then step onto the stage.

As the two men bicker about who's selling the most merchandise, they prepare to give a performance, removing the belts and trays on which they have their merchandise and looking at the masks they are to wear. We learn that Mr. Zuss is to play God, and Nickles makes a joke about God laughing. Mr. Zuss is shocked, saying God never laughs. Nickles suggests that Job must have laughed behind the back of his hand; he couldn't help it, Nickles insists. His...