Stage names:

Nakamura Matagorô I
Nakamura Shôtarô

Real name: Nakamura Shôjirô

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Shikin

Existence: 1885 ~ 19 March 1920

Connection:

Adoptive father: Nakamura Shikin

Son: Nakamura Matagorô II

Career:

1885: born in Kyôto in the pleasure quarter of Ponto-chô.

1890: he is adopted by the onnagata actor Nakamura Shikin, who gives him the name of Nakamura Shôtarô.

January 1898: he goes to Tôkyô and takes the name of Nakamura Matagorô I at the Shintomiza.

Fall 1909: Matagorô joins the Jiyû Gekijô troupe.

September 1909: revival at the Meijiza of the drama "Kenuki", a long-forgotten play belonging to the kabuki jûhachiban; Matagorô plays the role of Ono no Harukaze [casting].

September 1915: premiere at the Hongôza of Okamoto Kidô's drama "Toribeyama Shinjû"; Matagorô plays the role of Sakata Ichinosuke [casting].

1917: Matagorô becomes the leading star of the Kôen Gekijô, a koshibai venue in the district of Asakusa.

19 March 1920: Matagorô dies in Tôkyô.

Comments:

Nakamura Matagorô I was a promising actor, who was extremely popular when he was in kodomo shibai. He spent most of his adult career either in koshibai or as a member of the troupe led by Ichikawa Sadanji II. He was a nimaime and a wagotoshi.

Nakamura Matagorô I portraying Fujiya Izaemon in the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô"

The Nakamura Matagorô line of actors