[ZOLA, Émile]. LÉVY, E. Autograph letter signed, Paris, April 23, 1888. On the letterhead of the Théâtre municipal du Châtelet. 1 p. (13,5 x 21 cm). Excellent condition (minor paper loss at one corner). Zola's "nervous crises" are the subject of this letter. It is signed E. Lévy (probably Émile Levy, printer, lithographer, who signed the poster of Germinal for the theater), recipient unknown. Zola (and W. Busnach) are severely mocked for their "nervous breakdowns" and "grotesque congestions" before the first theatrical adaptation of Germinal: "April 23, 1888. Please excuse me for not having given you satisfaction. Zola's nervous breakdowns and poor Busnach's grotesque congestions have made it very difficult for us to do the final homework on Germinal. [signed E. Lévy]." Banned by the censors in October 1885, the play could not be performed until April 21, 1888 at the Châtelet theater. Despite the large number of sets and spectacular effects, it was only a mediocre success. Émile Zola, after having fallen out with the directors, did not attend the first performance. William Busnach (1832-1907) made several theatrical adaptations of Zola's novels. "If William Busnach, his usual collaborator, skillfully succeeded in bringing [...] L'Assommoir to success in 1881 [...], it will not be the same for the saga of the Maheux, of which he wished to make - at the Théâtre du Châtelet - a fairy tale with complex sets. [...]. It was not until April 21, 1888, that a mutilated version of the work was shown to the Parisian public, a performance that Zola refused to attend because his characters had been so disfigured. (cf. Cooper Richet, Diana. "Germinal on the Stage: A Danger to Public Order?", 2007)