Full Breakdown
Amanda Knox’s “Cartwheel” Show Sparks Petition at Edinburgh Fringe
8/8/2026, 8:17:13 PM
Legal History and the Path to the Fringe
Amanda Knox was convicted in 2009 for the murder and sexual assault of her Perugia roommate, British student Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years. The conviction was overturned in 2011 and she was fully acquitted by Italy’s highest court in 2015. After serving nearly four years in prison and later rebuilding a career as an author and podcaster, Knox announced a one-woman comedy show titled Cartwheel for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The title references a long-circulated claim that Knox performed cartwheels in a police station after Kercher’s death.
Data & Statistics
- The show runs for 11 nights at the Gilded Balloon venue, scheduled through August 17.
- Ticket sales sold out quickly.
- Petition signatures vary widely: > 6,000 (Independent, RTE), ? 7,700, ? 9,500, > 10,000 (Deadline, Thewrap, Complex), and > 20,000.
Official Statements & Responses
- Tony Lankester, director of the Fringe Society, told BBC Radio Scotland the festival “is not afraid of controversy” and that programming decisions rest with the venue and artist.
Criticism & Opposition
- Raffaele Sollecito, Knox’s former boyfriend and co-defendant, described the show as “puzzling” and said he does not agree with using the tragedy as a draw for comedy.
On-the-Ground Reports
Audience members who saw the opening night described the performance as “respectful,” “genuinely funny,” and “powerful.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Petition size: sources report numbers ranging from 6,000 to over 20,000 signatures, reflecting a lack of a single verified count.
- Show classification: some outlets label *Cartwheel* as stand-up comedy, others describe it as a storytelling piece with comedic elements. No definitive genre classification has been provided by the venue.
- Audience reaction: while several attendees praised the show’s respectfulness, other reports (e.g., Daily Mail) claim portions of the audience were “horrified,” but these reactions are not quantified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “A petition to cancel a show no one has seen, on the grounds of false accusations intended to shame and vilify a wronged woman into silence, is not an argument against ‘Cartwheel,’” — Amanda Knox, the latest critic
- “It’s not about whether people think she’s guilty or innocent, if someone else was doing the show specifically against Meredith, I would still feel the same, it is obviously an added wound that it’s coming from her at the same time, but I do feel very strongly that it should be something that’s not given a platform,” — Meredith Kercher
- “What I would say (to Knox) is to think about the family here, think about her friends and, to turn the tables, if it was your sister that this had happened to, because I know you have a sister as well, how would you feel?” — Stephanie Kercher
- “There was a lot of clapping and standing at the end, and a lot of laughter all the way through.” — Nigel
- “I'm not the first person to invent using comedy to talk about traumatic and difficult material,” — Amanda Knox, the latest critic
