Amy Gunn: Rest Now.

Location: Sheffield

The unprecedented has happened.

I am making myself take a holiday.

Sort of.

I haven't really stopped since last year's Edinburgh, so I'm forcing myself to not work for a couple of weeks. The plan was to sleep and lounge et al, but its not really happening that way. I've updated my work blog, Absent Theatre's website, emailed actors for a new casting opportunity - stay tuned on that one. But its nice to do work in a relatively sedate manner.

I was also intending to take this break until the end of next week, but due to a phone call this morning it might not happen that way....

The recovery time from Edinburgh has been pretty swift this year. Not quite sure why. It could be that I didn't drink the whole time up there, that I observed vaguely regular meal times - with fruit and vegetables no less - maintained a conservative bedtime routine or maybe a year of working in similar conditions has trained me well.

Most people are making the decision whether or not to return to Edinburgh while they are still going through the current festival. It is a tough one to call. I've been going to Edinburgh since I was 18. In some respects I can't imagine my year without it, but the "it" of that sentence is mainly mental, physical (and strangely in my case) emotional exhaustion. Its very difficult sometimes to see why we put ourselves through it. Most people loose squillions of pounds up there - either on a venue, accommodation costs or in the bar, we miss our loved ones, the weather (though kind this year) means we often don't see a Summer, having spent the hottest month of the British in the rainiest city - at least it feels that way. I'm really not sure why I continue this annual assault - though this year was far and away my best Fringe.

Working as a techie was soooooooo the way to go. No sitting outside rainy venues, no get in or get out to struggle through. It was lovely. I loved being around the Pleasance though, that was something I would have missed from previous years.

If (if) I returned next year, I'd love to move more into directing. I did a little bit of work with Plain Sight and it was great fun. I'd like to put more focus on bringing a bigger version of the project up to next year's festival, or maybe even a small theatre show on the Free Fringe with Absent. I'd definitely still want to tech a couple of shows. If any of the acts from this year's festival wanted a button-pusher, I'd jump at the chance to work with them again.

I suppose I don't have to make this decision just yet, plus Eleanor and I have been talking about something exciting for Absent which would take place in the Summer of 2013.

To sign off I'll leave you with a Fringe photo from every year I've been to Edinburgh.