The movie adaptation of Broadway musical Wicked has become a bonafide worldwide sensation, to the point where a Yorkshire version of Glinda has gone viral on TikTok.
We already saw an Australian iteration of the character, played by Ariana Grande, overrun our algorithms this week, but a video shared by @miwallbank proves that the influence of the Good Witch extends to other regions in the Commonwealth, too. Dressed almost identically to her onscreen counterpart, @miwallbank prefaces her Yorkshire-inspired impersonations by telling viewers that “people cannot stop asking to hear songs from Wicked in my accent.”
Sure enough, the TikToker gave viewers exactly what they demanded, launching into a rendition of “Popular”, the famous track performed by Glinda in the film’s first half. While donning a Glinda-inspired wig and pink dress and waving a wand, @miwallbank describes herself as “Yorkshire’s very own budgetary Ariana Grande,” before launching into the song’s first verse. And if you thought the Australian take on “Popular” lacked or overpronounced some syllables, well you’ve got a whole other thing coming.
Bound (or perhaps freed) by her Yorkshire accent, lyrics like “who isn’t” sound like “who in’nt,” while “have” drops the first letter entirely for “I simply ‘ave to take over.” As is customary for the Northern England dialect, @miwallbank replaces “you” with “tha” and “my” with “me,” proving that Yorkshire Wicked fans can defy not just gravity, but the laws of pronunciation. Naturally, since they’d been pining for it, viewers flocked to the TikToker’s comments to share their praise and revel in the hilarity.
Commenters immediately drew comparisons between the accent and that of fellow famous Northern Brit Philomena Cunk, to the point where one user said they were “craving a Philomena Cunk version of Wicked.” Others said the rendition meant they “have never wanted a British Wicked more,” or declared that if they were “rich enough, I’d fund this version wholeheartedly.” Meanwhile, those with background knowledge of Glinda — who also hails from the north — said that @miwallbank’s Yorkshire version makes “this accent canon for Wicked.”
Proving herself to be a master impersonator, @miwallbank’s broader TikTok page shows her doing another impression of Glinda in the vein of Jennifer Coolidge, while a third video sees her recreate a Wizard of Oz scene with Billie Burke, who played the Good Witch in the iconic 1939 movie. She also shared a review of Wicked with her 1.7 million followers, so it’s clear @miwallbank’s superfan status makes her more than qualified to pop on the Glinda dress and offer her own impersonations.
In any case, TikTok has been home to multiple Wicked-inspired viral moments, from castmate Marissa Bode’s criticism of those who’ve harmfully attacked her character’s disability, to Cynthia Erivo’s frustration about creators who altered the movie poster to cover her eyes.
Perhaps it’s Grande’s precise and flawless vocals in Wicked which makes less polished international variations like @miwallbank’s sound so hilarious. But whatever it is, I sincerely hope we see an Italian accent version of “What Is This Feeling?” or perhaps an Irish take on “Defying Gravity”. Now that I’ve spoken it into existence, it’s only a matter of time before the algorithm Gods show me exactly that, but I won’t be complaining.