This is not your daughter’s Wicked. Saturday Night Live U.K. went where queer fans of the Wizard of Oz-inspired musical have been wanting to take main characters Glinda and Elphaba for years: to the bedroom.
In a purposely lo-fi fake film trailer spoof of the home-brew aesthetics of “Nollywood” productions from Nigeria’s massive movie industry, the series’ Nigerian Wicked definitely went there, and then some. Saturday’s (Oct. 24) sketch featured Wicked co-star and the night’s host, Cynthia Erivo, switching roles to play purse-obsessed Glinda, while cast member Ayoade Bamgboye slipped into the green Elphaba body paint as the two women practiced casting spells on their luggage, complete with unconvincing blast of pink and green “magic” beams leaping from their fingers.
The tension fills the air as Glinda slaps Elphaba for being “very classless” and then wrinkles her nose as her fellow witch digs into a hard-boiled egg. But, all is not well in the land of “LagOz,” a narrator informs viewers. The dream of going to see the wizard turns dark, with Elphaba lamenting, “but I’m a virgin,” as sexy saxophone notes bubble up and the women’s lips visibly tremble before a near kiss.
After hopping on a train across Nigeria to visit the “Emerald White and Emerald City” — and following a glow-up that transforms their hair, nails, makeup and outfits — Glinda informs Elphaba that the wizard is “very rich” and can make anything appear. Glinda plans to wish for a Birkin bag, while Elphaba wants a “skinny BBL,” one, the narrator helpfully informs us, that “defies gravity,” as Elphaba grabs her rear and subtly twerks for the camera.
Spoiler alert, the wizard (cast member Hammed Animashuan) is kind of creepy and penniless, showing off his “NoLex” knockoff watch he bought at the market. “The wizard is broke,” the narrator laments. The bit ends with a flash cut of “highlights” from the film, including laughably cheap-looking action sequences and even more lip-trembling, near-Sapphic action.
Watch Nigerian Wicked below.
