Amanda Knox's decision to stage a one-woman comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe, detailing her experiences of wrongful imprisonment, has reignited pain for the family of Meredith Kercher, the British student murdered in Perugia in 2007. The show, titled 'Cartwheel,' is described by Knox as "70 percent comedy, 30 percent rage," but Meredith's family has called it a "deplorable offense to Meredith's memory."
Meredith's sister, Stephanie Kercher, expressed despair that Knox appears unable to grasp the ongoing anguish such public retellings inflict. "Imagine 20 years after Meredith's death, your pain is turned into someone else's laughter," Stephanie stated, appealing for Knox to cancel the production. The show, which has seen sell-out performances, has deepened the distress for Stephanie and her brothers, Lyle and John, following the deaths of their parents.
Knox, who was twice convicted and twice acquitted of murdering her former roommate, contends that Meredith herself would find the show humorous due to its exploration of young womanhood and honesty. This assertion was strongly rebutted by Stephanie, who said Meredith would not find comedy surrounding such issues funny and could not fathom how rape and murder could be laughed about.
The case of Meredith Kercher's murder in November 2007 captivated global attention. Meredith, a 21-year-old British exchange student, was found murdered in the Perugia cottage she shared with Knox and others. Knox, initially an unknown American student, became internationally recognized, with her early reactions to the event drawing scrutiny. The title of her show, 'Cartwheel,' references an incident at the police station shortly after Meredith's death, which Knox has since explained as yoga stretches, though she performs a cartwheel off-stage at the end of her performance.
Forensic evidence eventually led to the conviction of Rudy Guede for Meredith's murder. Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were arrested and initially convicted in 2009. They were acquitted in 2011, but further appeals led to a re-conviction in 2014. Italy's highest court finally cleared both Knox and Sollecito in 2015, citing a lack of evidence of their involvement in the murder. Knox does hold a conviction for slander related to falsely accusing a man of Meredith's murder, for which her sentence was considered served due to time already spent in custody.
Since returning to the U.S., Knox has remained in the public eye, initially feeling compelled to reclaim her narrative. She has authored two memoirs, "Waiting To Be Heard" and "Free: My Search For Meaning," and was involved in the Netflix documentary "Amanda Knox" and the 2025 Hulu mini-series "The Twisted Tale Of Amanda Knox." She has also hosted podcasts such as "Hard Knox" and "Doubt." Knox has become a regular speaker for the Innocence Network, advocating against wrongful convictions.
Despite expressing a desire in 2021 to move beyond her "worst experience" to cover living expenses, Knox has continued to engage with the story. This includes co-producing the documentary "Mouth Of The Wolf" and hosting screenings in the UK. Her show 'Cartwheel' debuted on Vashon Island, Washington, where she now lives with her husband, Christopher Robinson, and their two young children. The show explores themes of impending motherhood and the frustration stemming from public perception of her case.
'Cartwheel' has reportedly been warmly received in initial performances, with one attendee describing the audience as "enraptured." Theatre critic Greg Heilman noted Knox's stage presence and polished delivery, suggesting the show could transition to other platforms. However, for Meredith Kercher's family, the production is viewed as a further exploitation of their "immense pain."
Family friend Sally Alington described the show as "almost like trolling," particularly given the family's continued grief, compounded by the deaths of Meredith's parents, John and Arline Kercher, in 2020. In response to criticism, Knox stated on Instagram that "Cartwheel honors Meredith Kercher's memory and calls out the violence that was done to her and to me," a statement that has drawn bewilderment from those close to the Kercher family.