Amanda Knox, who was convicted and later acquitted in the 2007 murder case of British student Meredith Kercher, has sparked controversy with her debut stand-up comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The 39-year-old comedian's hour-long performance, titled *Cartwheel*, opened on Friday night and included jokes referencing the case and her time behind bars, drawing both applause from audiences and criticism from Kercher’s family.

Knox framed her show as a tribute intended to honour her late friend Meredith Kercher, who was found murdered in their shared house in Perugia, Italy. Shortly after the performance began, however, Knox made light of the traumatic events, opening with a quip that the stage set—designed to resemble a child’s bedroom—“really looks like a crime scene in here.” She also joked about the idea of shops selling “acquittal greeting cards,” describing it as “a whole industry.” During the show, she likened her imprisonment experience to the animated film *Chicken Run*, in which the story involves a hen leading an escape from captivity, and recalled being made to watch *The Shawshank Redemption* by a prison guard.

While some audience members described the show as “respectful” and “genuinely funny,” Meredith Kercher’s family has expressed strong objections. Stephanie Kercher, Meredith’s sister, called for the production to be cancelled and urged Knox to consider the impact on those who lost a loved one. In comments to the media, she asked Knox 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.” Meredith’s parents passed away in 2020.

Responding to the criticism, Knox insisted that her show honours Kercher’s memory while also addressing the violence experienced by both women. After her first performance, Knox shared a positive update on social media, posting a selfie with her young son and describing feeling the “morning after the first night glow.”

The murder case itself remains a subject of public interest. Meredith Kercher, 21, was found sexually assaulted and murdered in 2007. Knox was initially convicted of the crime and spent four years in an Italian prison before her conviction was overturned. Subsequent retrials reinstated and then again overturned the conviction, with the final ruling fully exonerating Knox. Rudy Guede, who was convicted separately, served time for his involvement, but no other individuals were found guilty.