Kercher's sister criticizes Amanda Knox show

Stephanie Kercher said Amanda Knox should think about Meredith Kercher’s family before performing a solo comedy show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, reopening a long-running public dispute tied to the 2007 killing of the British student in Perugia, Italy. Kercher’s comments were reported by the BBC on August 5 as Knox’s show, “Cartwheel,” remained on the official Fringe program. The show is scheduled to run from August 7 to August 17 at Gilded Balloon Teviot, according to the festival listing. Knox’s spokesperson told outlets the performance honors Meredith Kercher’s memory. ### What did Stephanie Kercher say about the show? Stephanie Kercher told BBC Breakfast that Amanda Knox should consider “the family here” and Meredith’s friends before going ahead with the performance, according to the BBC’s report and republication of her remarks by other outlets. She also asked Knox to imagine how she would feel “if it was your sister,” addressing her directly by name. (ca.news.yahoo.com) Stephanie Kercher also said the show “normalises and trivialises violence against women,” according to reports carrying her comments on August 6. Those remarks framed the family’s objection as going beyond personal hurt and extending to how the case is presented in a festival setting. ### What is Amanda Knox’s Fringe show about? (ca.news.yahoo.com) The Edinburgh Festival Fringe listing describes “Amanda Knox: Cartwheel” as a solo comedy show in which Knox, now approaching 40, reflects on motherhood and “the whole wrongful-imprisonment thing.” The listing says the show asks how she will explain what happened in Perugia to her daughter and names Knox Robinson Productions as the performance company. (msn.com) The official listing gives the show a start time of 20:15, a running time of one hour and dates from August 7 through August 17. A separate Fringe map listing shows tickets starting from 12 pounds. ### Why is the case still so sensitive? Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old Leeds University student from Surrey, was found dead in Perugia in November 2007, according to BBC coverage of the case. (edfringe.com) Amanda Knox and her then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were convicted in 2009, but Knox was later acquitted after years of court proceedings. BBC and other current reports on the Fringe dispute describe Knox as having been convicted and later cleared in the case. (edfringe.com) That history remains central to how both supporters and critics describe her public appearances. ### Has Amanda Knox responded to calls for the show to be dropped? Amanda Knox said calls to cancel the show were based on “false assumptions,” according to a report published August 6 by Chortle. (bbc.co.uk) The same report said Knox criticized what she described as efforts to shame “a wronged woman into silence.” Knox’s spokesperson separately said the show honors Meredith Kercher’s memory, according to current reports summarizing the dispute. (ca.news.yahoo.com) That statement has been cited as the response to the family’s criticism as the show approaches its opening date. ### Where does the show stand now? The Edinburgh Festival Fringe website still lists “Amanda Knox: Cartwheel” as on sale at Gilded Balloon Teviot. (chortle.co.uk) The listing includes dates, venue information and ticketing details, indicating the performance is proceeding on the published schedule unless organizers announce a change. August 7 is the first listed performance date for “Cartwheel,” and the run is scheduled to continue through August 17 in Edinburgh. (ca.news.yahoo.com) The official Fringe site remains the main public source for schedule updates and ticket availability. (edfringe.com)