Cleaning up after the elephants – a skit on the necessity of doing unpleasant jobs
A skit for 2 clowns, 1 silent hobo, 1 speaking (clown or ringmaster)
Props required: whisk broom, dust pan, push broom, garbage can on wheels, shovel, garbage bags (filled with air & tied off) — also, props for the Hobo to perform with, such as a hula hoop, juggling balls, balloon animals, etc.
The skit begins with the ringmaster coming on stage, looking around for the hobo …
Ringmaster: Where is that happy hobo? He’s never around when there’s work to be done …
(Hobo enters, walking behind the ringmaster as he looks left and right — as the ringmaster walks around in a circle, with his hand above his eyes “looking,” the hobo walks behind him, “helping” him look — unaware that the ringmaster’s looking for him. Eventually, the ringmaster finds him)
Ringmaster: There you are! Grab a broom — you need to clean up after some of the circus animals.
Hobo: (from his back pockets, pulls up a small whisk broom and dust pan, holds them up in front)
Ringmaster: No, you’re not clean up after the dogs — bigger animals!
Hobo: (pantomimes that he’s got an idea, walks off stage, returns with a normal broom, shows it to the audience & ringmaster — “accidentally” knocks off the ringmaster’s hat as he shows it to the audience; when the ringmaster bends over to pick up his hat, the hobo “accidentally” swats him in the rear so that the ringmaster does a tumble, etc.)
Ringmaster: (getting angry) No!! The big animals! The elephants!
Hobo: (acts out his disappointment – his face does an exaggerated frown, his shoulders droop, his arms fall to his side, etc. — he walks off stage as though he’s walking to his own execution, and comes back pushing garbage can on wheels, with a shovel and a push broom in it — pushes it off stage with an air of depression, walking behind the ringmaster)
Ringmaster: And be sure you do a good job!
(while the Hobo cleans up the mess, we have a short “intermission” — the Ringmaster can talk, if this is being done in a church setting a youth pastor can speak briefly, another clown/person can come on on juggle, etc. — a short period of time, only a minute or two, to allow the Hobo to supposedly clean up the mess)
Hobo: (comes back on stage, pushing the garbage can, now filled with garbage — actually garbage bags inflated with air)
Ringmaster: Well, you’re back! Did you do a good job?
Hobo: (shakes his head vigorously “yes,” points to the bags of garbage, etc.)
Ringmaster: Well, good. (turns his back on the Hobo to address the audience)
Hobo: (shy, trying to get the Ringmaster’s attention. This should be played for sympathy, but still clownishly — tugging on the Ringmaster’s coat, etc. until the Hobo gets the Ringmaster’s attention)
Ringmaster: What is it?
Hobo: (pantomimes that he’d like to perform for the audience)
Ringmaster: (dismissively) You? Don’t be silly! You’re only a clown! Besides, you smell like … elephant!
(Hobo acts as though his hopes are crushed, acts like he smells himself — lifts up his arm to smell his armpit, for example — whew! pantomimes to the audience that he smells like … elephant dung. Sadly walks off stage, pushing the garbage away).
Conclusion
(Depending on the setting, there can be several possible endings. The hobo can walk back on stage, behind the ringmaster, doing several tricks — juggling, balancing the push broom on his hand, using a hula hoop, etc. — with the audience reacting, but the Ringmaster turning around too late, looking on the wrong side, etc.– finally catching the Hobo in the act, and ending with a chase off stage.
Or, in a church setting, a youth pastor can come on and talk about how sometimes we have to do things that aren’t pleasant, but we need to do them with a good attitude anyway — and the Hobo comes out doing a “victory dance,” etc. For a gospel application, a youth pastor can come on stage, and talk about how Jesus had to do the most unpleasant task of all — being separated from God the Father on the cross, bearing our sins — but He did so, looking forward to the joy of having us with Him; and sometimes we have to do unpleasant things, but there’s something positive waiting for us after the task is over.)
(an original skit by Raynbow the clown)