Chin Shih-chieh feels like having a cigarette. Sitting on a stone footstep of the Poly Theater in Beijing, the Taiwan actor lowers his head without saying a word.

After a 15-minute break, he returns to the stage, dancing alone to jazz, giggling like a child and then loudly weeping, seemingly oblivious to those who are watching him.

He is performing in the play Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie, which returned to the capital on Aug 15-16.