Amanda Knox, the American who was convicted and later acquitted of the 2007 murder and sexual assault of her British flatmate Meredith Kercher in Italy, has hit back at accusations that her upcoming stage performance at the Edinburgh Fringe festival is inappropriate. The production, titled “Cartwheel,” is scheduled to debut this Friday and will run for 11 consecutive nights at the renowned festival in Scotland.
The show is described as a reflection on a woman nearing 40 who is balancing motherhood while processing her experience with wrongful imprisonment, particularly in light of public opinion that remains divided on her involvement in the case. The title itself references a media narrative that alleged Knox performed cartwheels at a police station following the death of Kercher. Knox, now 39, stated on Instagram that the performance serves to honor the memory of Kercher and highlight the violence they both endured.
The criticism was ignited by an interview given to the BBC by Stephanie Kercher, the sister of the victim. Stephanie Kercher argued that the show serves to “normalize and trivialize violence against women.” While she acknowledged that Knox has the right to live her life as she chooses, she expressed strong opposition to the project being presented as comedy. She noted that it is particularly painful that the show is being produced by Knox, adding that she believes the project should not be given a platform.
An online petition calling for the cancellation of the show has garnered more than 4,400 signatures, with organizers claiming the production mocks the tragedy surrounding the murder of Meredith Kercher. In response, Knox dismissed the petition, stating that it is based on false accusations intended to shame her. She maintained that the Edinburgh Fringe is an appropriate venue for her work.
The murder of Meredith Kercher occurred on Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment the two women shared in Perugia. The case drew worldwide attention, leading to the arrest of Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito. After serving nearly four years in prison during various stages of the investigation and trial, the pair were acquitted by Italy's highest court in 2015. Another individual, Rudy Hermann Guede, was ultimately convicted of the murder based on DNA evidence found at the scene; he was released in 2021 after completing most of a 16-year prison sentence. Since returning to the United States in 2011, Knox has become an advocate for the wrongly convicted and recently published a memoir titled “Free: My Search for Meaning.”
It is debuting Friday evening and is due to run for 11 straight nights at the annual August mish-mash of standup, theater and musical offerings in the Scottish capital.The show is being marketed as a woman “approaching forty, juggling motherhood and finally getting around to being furious about the whole wrongful-imprisonment thing.
