Amanda Knox's Edinburgh Fringe show 'Cartwheel' has sparked debate about comedy's relationship with serious subjects. The show, which is billed as a comedy, is actually a spoken word monologue that is at times compelling and moving.
The Show's Content
Set in the bedroom of Knox's four-year-old daughter, the piece has an immediate theatrical feel. As she talks, she tidies up piles of toys, remarking that the place is so messy it looks like a "crime scene" – the first of several wry references to the events in Perugia. Later, recalling her childhood, she describes how her mother asked her to sign a contract with a crayon promising not to marry before age 30, which she compares to the statement she made to Italian police.
Knox's story is not specifically about the murder, but about her life before and after. She always felt different and as a child wanted attention, even considering a career as a performer before heading to Italy.
Impact and Reflection
Since her release from prison after four years, Knox has rebuilt her life and is now married and a mother. But the traumatic events cast a long shadow, and online abuse does not go away quickly. While she paints herself as a victim, she is self-aware enough to underline that the real victim was Meredith Kercher. She notes how the press has often overlooked Kercher, preferring to focus on 'Foxy Knoxy' – a nickname from high school long before tabloids used it.
Knox talks touchingly about her predicament. Approaching forty, there are still people who think she may have been involved in the murder that happened in her early twenties, not because of hard evidence but because of "vibe". She addresses the question of whether innocent people do cartwheels while held by police, clarifying it was actually the splits.
Questions and Defense
Questions remain about whether she can ever shake off the past and how she explains it to her daughter. The piece ends on a defiant note, with Knox asserting that she is who she is and is allowed to do cartwheels. Her appearance has been condemned by some and defended by others on free speech grounds. She compares herself to the viral blue and gold dress, saying different people see different things in her.
She is entitled to tell her story, though doing so at an arts festival known for laughter seems questionable. If performed beyond the Fringe, promoters should clarify it is far from stand-up comedy. A four-star show, but not one for Live at the Apollo.
Amanda Knox: Cartwheel is at the Gilded Balloon until August 17.
