Stephanie Kercher, the sister of the late Meredith Kercher, has publicly voiced her disapproval of a solo comedy performance by Amanda Knox at the Edinburgh Festival. Knox, who was previously convicted and later cleared of the 2007 murder of her British housemate in Italy, titled her show Cartwheel. According to the festival’s event page, the performance focuses on motherhood and the challenges of explaining the Perugia incident to her child.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Stephanie Kercher urged Knox to consider the perspective of the victim’s family and friends. She suggested that Knox should contemplate how she would feel if a similar tragedy had occurred to her own sibling. While a representative for Knox claimed the show intends to honor Meredith’s memory, Stephanie rejected the idea that her sister would have found any humor in the situation. She emphasized the enduring nature of the family’s grief nearly two decades later.
A petition initiated by a friend of Meredith has gathered over 1,500 signatures, arguing that the show trivializes a violent tragedy. Stephanie Kercher expressed concern that this performance sets a harmful precedent, distinguishing between general comedy and shows built around specific, real-world criminal cases. She has called for further scrutiny of such events and indicated a desire to discuss the matter with government officials.
The Gilded Balloon Teviot, which is hosting the show, stated that the festival remains committed to providing a stage for diverse viewpoints and freedom of expression. The 2007 case involved Knox, from Seattle, and Kercher, from Surrey, who were roommates in Perugia. Following the discovery of Kercher’s body, Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were initially convicted but eventually acquitted by Italy’s highest court in 2015. Rudy Guede was later convicted for the murder and served a 16-year sentence, with the court ruling he did not act in isolation, despite no further accomplices being identified.
