Amanda Knox's controversial Edinburgh Fringe show 'Cartwheel' has been described as "profoundly respectful" by audience members, despite claims it "trivialises" violence against women. The show, performed on Friday night, has sparked a petition with over 6,000 signatures calling for its cancellation.
Background and Controversy
Knox was wrongly imprisoned for the 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher. She was convicted in 2009 alongside then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, but was cleared in 2015. The show's title refers to claims that she did cartwheels in a police station after Kercher's death.
Kercher's sister said the show "normalises and trivialises violence against women." However, audience members leaving the show on Friday night offered a different perspective.
Audience Reactions
One unnamed man said Knox has "every right to tell her story and to deal with her own grief and pain." He added: "She was profoundly respectful to the victim of the crime. She said that she never got the chance to express her own grief about what had happened, because as soon as the crime had happened, she was put in this position of having to defend herself."
Nigel, in his 60s from London, found it "really authentic" and said Knox "came across as quite powerful and carried the room." He noted there was "a lot of clapping and standing at the end, and a lot of laughter all the way through."
A man from Glasgow said the show is more about storytelling than comedy, and that "there's nothing in that show that is offensive or demeaning to Kercher." A woman from Edinburgh said the show nearly moved her to tears, particularly when Knox spoke about her friend Meredith and the guilt she feels.
Knox's Response
In a statement on Instagram, Knox said: "Cartwheel is a show about motherhood, raising a daughter in a world that is unfair and dangerous for women, and what it costs to be the kind of mother who tells her the truth about that." She added that the petition contains "false assumptions" and "completely mischaracterises the show," and that "Cartwheel honours Meredith Kercher's memory."
