Raffaele Sollecito, the former boyfriend of Amanda Knox, has voiced his disapproval of her one-woman comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe, stating that he does not agree with her approach to using the tragedy of Meredith Kercher's murder as a subject for performance. The show, titled 'Cartwheel,' began its run last night and is reportedly sold out.
Sollecito, who was wrongly accused of the 2007 murder of Kercher alongside Knox, called the show's premise "puzzling," adding that while he has not seen the performance, he questions the use of a "tragedy" as "a draw for a comedy show." He noted that he is processing the events in his own way and believes "there is no right or wrong recipe for dealing with trauma; everyone finds their own path."
A petition to halt the show, which is scheduled for 11 nights at the Gilded Balloon venue, garnered over 20,000 signatures. The petition was initiated by Sally Allington, a friend of Meredith Kercher.
The show's title, 'Cartwheel,' alludes to witness accounts of Knox performing cartwheels after her arrest, an act she has reportedly denied, claiming she did the splits instead. During her performance, Knox also addressed her brief relationship with Sollecito and their widely publicized kiss outside the Perugia apartment where Kercher was murdered. She reportedly stated, "Even if I had been dry-humping his leg while making awkward eye contact with the lead detective, that would make me in heat, but it wouldn't have made me a murderer."
Knox also shared personal anecdotes about Kercher, describing them as friends who baked, swapped clothes, and went vintage shopping. She acknowledged Kercher's greater sensibility and commented on the public's intense scrutiny of her following the murder. While an audience half gave Knox a standing ovation on opening night, the performance was patrolled by police.
The family of Meredith Kercher has also condemned the show, calling it "hurtful" and accusing Knox of profiting from the tragedy. Stephanie, Meredith Kercher's sister, expressed bewilderment at Knox's continued production of books, films, and documentaries about the ordeal, noting that nearly 20 years after the murder and a decade after Knox's acquittal, such projects are still painful for the family. Stephanie stated that while Knox may have been wrongly accused of murder, she was not "wrongly jailed."
Knox, who was later convicted of slandering bar owner Patrick Lumumba by falsely accusing him of the murder, received a three-year sentence for that offense. Lumumba lost his job and livelihood as a result and has not received the compensation ordered by the court, despite Knox's reported earnings of millions from book advances.
Stephanie Kercher conveyed a desire for Knox to understand why the events surrounding her sister's death are considered worthy of comedy. She questioned Knox's narrative-changing approach with the Fringe show, emphasizing that for those who knew Meredith, the case represents violence and trauma, not comedy. The family believes the show is another attempt by Knox to gain attention and is causing pain, particularly by associating Meredith's name with a performance that trivializes the circumstances of her death. They also questioned why Knox has not explained her accusation against Lumumba, an "innocent family man."