Chinese and French artists staged a "special" monolog in Beijing Friday, each using his own languages.

The play, Mr. Armand, aka Garrincha, is a story about how a passionate football fan Mr. Armand avoided a collision with Garrincha and saved the Brazilian football star, as well as the whole team under the same circumstances.

On stage, French actor Michel Didym and Chinese actor Wei Xiaoping told the lines of the same meanings respectively in French and Chinese. It's not just simple translation, but with eye contacts, body gestures of communication. During the one and half hours show, two chairs and shelves that hold the line scripts were the only props and the lighting stayed the same throughout the whole play.

"The Chinese actor showed more of a poetic sense during the play, while the French actor more reality. I hope they will keep their own styles and find a common ground in attracting more audience attention," said Serge Valletti, the playwright and director.

Monolog is a more common performance form in the west, which usually stages in small to medium sized theatres. However it is still a novelty in China.

The writer has brought his play to Brazil, Poland, Spain and Britain, and each time inviting a local actor to play with the French actor in two different languages.

Brazilian actor is passionate, British calm and Chinese focuses more on the mind, Valletti said.

"An extra actor in the monolog adds a new option for the audience to think," said Wei Xiaoping.

(Xinhua News Agency May 6, 2006)