Stage names:

Ichikawa Monnosuke III
Ichikawa Denzô I
Ichikawa Otora I
Ichikawa Benmatsu

Other name: Hanamichi Tsurane II

Guild: Takinoya

Line number: SANDAIME (III)

Poetry name: Shinsha

Crest: a horizontal stroke (the ideogram for "one") in a circle

Existence: 1794 ~ 27th day of the 7th lunar month of 1824

Connections:

Father: Ichikawa Omezô I

Brother: Ichikawa Monnosuke IV

Career:

1794 ~ 1808: born in Edo. Elder sop of the actor Ichikawa Omezô I, he appears on stage for the first time in 1801, receiving the name of Ichikawa Benmatsu. Later on, he takes the name of Ichikawa Otora I at an unknown date.

4th lunar month of 1808: Ichikawa Otora I takes the name of Ichikawa Denzô I at the Nakamuraza, playing as a tachiyaku in the drama "Koromo Yayoi Hanago no Keizu".

6th lunar month of 1811: Denzô becomes the zagashira of a troupe of children-actors performing in a minor Edo theater called Yûkiza and managed by Yûki Magosaburô; Denzô plays the prestigious role of Sukeroku in the drama "Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura".

8th lunar month of 1811: Denzô becomes wakaonnagata and plays at the Moritaza the role of Ohan in the drama "Nui Narai Obiya Shinanoya".

7th lunar month of 1815: Denzô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Oume in the drama "Keisei Hangonkô".

Summer 1815: Denzô becomes a disciple of the star Ichikawa Danjûrô VII.

1815 ~ 1820: long stay in Kamigata.

11th lunar month of 1815: Ichikawa Denzô I takes the name of Ichikawa Monnosuke III in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai, playing in the drama "Taiheiki Chûshin Kôshaku", which is produced by Nakamura Utagorô.

4th lunar month of 1820: Monnosuke goes back to Edo and plays at the Kawarazakiza the roles of Chidori and Ofude in the jidaimono "Hirakana Seisuiki". He also plays the prestigious role of Akoya in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki"; the roles of Chichibu no Shôji Shigetada and Iwanaga Saemon are played by Ichikawa Danjûrô VII and Ichikawa Ebijûrô I.

7th lunar month of 1820: Monnosuke plays in the same theater the role of Omiwa in the drama "Imoseyama Onna Teikin".

9th lunar month of 1820: Monnosuke plays in the same theater the role of Kuzu-no-Ha in the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami".

11th lunar month of 1821 (beginning of the month): Monnosuke achieves a great success at the Ichimuraza by playing the roles of Ono no Komachi and Sumizome the drama "Seki no To"; his stage partners are Ichikawa Omezô I (Sekibei, Kuronushi) and Ichikawa Danjûrô VII.

11th lunar month of 1821 (end of the month): premiere at the Kawarazakiza of Tsuruya Namboku IV's drama "Imoseyama Hitome Sembon", which mixes the "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura" and "Imoseyama Onna Teikin" worlds; Monnosuke plays the roles of Shizuka Gozen, Kyô no Kimi and Osato [casting].

3rd lunar month of 1822: Monnosuke plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Princess Yuki in the drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki"; the roles of Matsunaga Daizen and Tôkichi are played by Ichikawa Omezô I and Ichikawa Danjûrô VII.

3rd lunar month of 1823: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Tsuruya Namboku IV's drama "Ukiyogara Hiyoku no Inazuma"; Monnosuke plays the role of Miuraya Hanamurasaki [casting].

5th lunar month of 1823: Monnosuke plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Haru and Tonami in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

7th lunar month of 1824: Monnosuke appears on stage for the last time, playing at the Nakamuraza in the drama "Ôtô-no-Miya Asahi no Yoroi". He suddenly dies the 27th day of the 7th lunar month of 1824 (food poisoning).

Comments:

Ichikawa Monnosuke III was a talented onnagata actor, who unfortunately died too young. In the beginning of the twenties, he was as popular as the actors Segawa Kikunojô V and Iwai Kumesaburô II. He was also excellent in musical performances and was well-versed in the writing of comic poems (his pen name was Hanamichi Tsurane II).

Ichikawa Monnosuke III playing the role of Otani in the drama "Torimazete Sekison Miyage", which was staged in the 7th lunar month of 1823 at the Ichimuraza (print made by Utagawa Toyokuni I)

Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1822

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1823

Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1852

The Ichikawa Otora line of actors

The Ichikawa Monnosuke line of actors