Language Laboratory is a sketch that appears in "The All-England Summarize Proust Competition," the thirty-first episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Synopsis[]
At the language laboratory, the manager Mr Mann (Graham Chapman) shows Tick (John Cleese) around, silently eavesdropping on each booth. One booth (Eric Idle) is repeating "Kill the blacks" in a Rhodesian accent. The next booth (Terry Jones) is saying "While there is no undue cause for concern, there is certainly no room for complacency." The next booth (Michael Palin) is speaking in a broad northern accent, receiving improvements from Mr Mann as they pass. He praises the work of the next booth (Terry Gilliam) speaking in a very camp way, moving swiftly past the last booth (actor uncredited) singing in a high-pitched way.
Mr Mann asks Tick what kind of voice he's looking for, to which he asks for a voice that will make people be attracted to him like a magnet. Mr Mann concludes he'll want the "Life and Soul of the Party" tape. Suddenly, a 30s style piano accompaniment begins and the title "SANDY WILSON'S VERSION OF "THE DEVILS" flashes on screen. The people in the booths swivel around on their chairs and begin to sing, performing a choreographed dance. They then sing "Proust in his first book wrote about, wrote about" before being stopped by the sound of a gong and a voiceover (Idle) tells them to start again. The loony dressed as a clown (Frank Lester) waves to the camera.
Sandy Wilson's Version of "The Devils"[]
Boo doopee doo X2
Scuby duby duby doo-oo!
Ha!
-
Hello, operator
Is that the central line?
Give me the Piccadilly number
9, 1, 0, 9
Mr. Operator, now that number's wrong
-
So, come on, everybody
Let's sing this song
-
Proust in his first book wrote about, wrote about
Proust in his first book--