‘Not afraid of controversy’: Edinburgh fringe rejects calls to cancel Amanda Knox comedy
Summary
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe will go ahead with Amanda Knox’s comedy show despite calls to cancel it. Knox’s show, which discusses motherhood and violence against women, has upset the family of Meredith Kercher, who was murdered in 2007, but the festival supports freedom of expression and leaving the decision to the artist and venue.Key Facts
- Amanda Knox was falsely imprisoned in Italy for the 2007 murder of her flatmate, Meredith Kercher, and was acquitted in 2015.
- Knox’s comedy show, Cartwheel, is about motherhood and the dangers women face, and does not joke about Kercher’s death.
- Meredith Kercher’s family oppose the show, saying it makes light of violence against women.
- Over 6,000 people signed a petition to cancel the show.
- The Edinburgh Fringe Society said they are “not afraid of controversy” and support freedom of expression.
- The show’s venue, Gilded Balloon Teviot, stated artists take responsibility for their own work and audiences can decide what to watch.
- Rudy Hermann Guede was convicted of Meredith Kercher’s murder and was released from prison in 2021 after serving part of his sentence.
- A theatre professor said comedy can help process tragedy and should be judged by audiences after performance.
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