The largest uncut diamond on earth shined in the crown worn by King Charles at his coronation in 2023. But behind this magnificent stone, lies a less brilliant history. For instance, the Cullinan was born and excavated in South Africa in 1905. Yet it was cut in Amsterdam and traded under pressure to the English royal family. Many South Africans want the Cullinan back. Actress Buhle Ngaba dreams of succeeding.
In the theatre performance Bling! Ngaba depicts the Cullinan’s journey home to South Africa. With a personification of the diamond, flickering images from the future and monologues from a court, she takes you from the early 19th century to today’s South Africa. Thus, she follows the sharp edges of history with a naïve view of today. In doing so, the charismatic actress uses reality but also fake news. Thus, she takes the audience into an alternative history and future. In the process, she seeks the answer to the question: by returning this diamond, can the UK heal all the scars of the past?