Cynthia Erivo & Ayoade Bamgboye Take “Wicked” to LagOz in Hilarious SNL UK Sketch

Cynthia Erivo and Ayoade Bamgboye posing through traditional beaded door curtains on the set of Nigerian Wicked.

If you thought you’d seen every possible spin on Wicked, think again. West End and Broadway royalty Cynthia Erivo recently stepped onto the Saturday Night Live UK (SNL UK) stage to deliver a masterclass in comedy—teaming up with Ayoade Bamgboye to reimagine the magical land of Oz as a chaotic, low-budget Nollywood blockbuster.

Titled “Nigerian Wicked“ and presented by the fictional Holy Ghost Productions (the satirical masterminds behind classic titles like Beyonce’s Revenge and Light Skin, Dark Heart), the viral sketch is a love letter to Nollywood tropes complete with a gloriously stressful sound mix.

In this universe, Elphaba (played with maximum green-paint intensity by Ayoade Bamgboye) and Glinda (brought to life by Cynthia Erivo in a pink tracksuit, blonde wig, and matching cap) are sharing a room stacked with vintage trunk luggage. Their relationship is wonderfully tense, highlighted by an unforgettable moment where Glinda casually slaps Elphaba because she is “very classless”, only for Elphaba to complain that the room smells like egg.

Ayoade Bamgboye as Elphaba and Cynthia Erivo as Glinda sitting on set during the Nigerian Wicked sketch on Saturday Night Live UK.

Things get even wilder when the duo boards a train to the land of LagOz to see The Wizard (played by Hammed Animashaun), who turns out to be completely broke, rocking a “No-lex” watch instead of a Rolex, and offering his guests some off Bailey’s Irish Cream. While Elphaba is simply hoping her magical transformation defies gravity and earns her a “skinny BBL”, Glinda is laser-focused on her ultimate priority: getting her hands on a Birkin bag.

Complete with flying monkeys, Professor Goat, dramatic musical interludes, and a full, gloriously long credit sequence introducing Cynthia by her full traditional name—Cynthia Onyedinmanasu Chinasaokwu Owezuke Amarachukwu Echeumuna Erivo——this sketch is pure comedic gold from start to finish.

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