IONESCO Eugène (1909-1994) L.A.S. "Eugène Ionesco",[May-June 1950], to a friend; 2 pages in-4. Beautiful letter on the beginnings of La Cantatrice chauve, premiered on May 11, 1950, at the Théâtre des Noctambules, directed by Nicolas Bataille. He complains about the lack of publicity for his play: "It happens every day in front of 20 people laughing in shards. I had thought I had made an act in which was presented a world killed spiritually, dumbfounded by conformism, the cliché, cut off from its deep roots (metaphysical, or religious, or simply extra-individual), -delivered therefore to nonsense, to disorientation. I thought I realized something painful. Yet the result is very comical". But the critics did not deign to travel "to see the play of a stranger (admirably performed by Nicolas Bataille's troupe). They can yell at the play afterwards (or not talk about it at all) but how can they decide that it is worthless, not even their PRESENCE, if they haven't seen it?"... He asks his friend to send him criticisms... He adds that Emmanuel MOUNIER's death has plunged him "into a terrible state"...