ICHIKAWA MONZABURÔ
   
THREE GENERATIONS
Ichikawa Monzaburô I
Ichikawa Monzaburô I [1]  In Japanese | Ichikawa Benizô [1]  In Japanese | Sodesaki Iseno III  In Japanese | Sodesaki Hyôkichi  In Japanese
 

Born in 1765. Son of Sodesaki Iseno II and grandson of Sodesaki Iseno I, his first stage name was Sodesaki Hyôkichi. First recorded performance in the 11th lunar month of 1775, in Edo at the Nakamuraza, where he performed as an iroko. He became wakaonnagata and took the name of Sodesaki Iseno III in the 11th lunar month of 1778. He went to Ôsaka [1] and became a disciple of Ichikawa Danzô IV in 1785. He switched to tachiyaku roles and received the name of Ichikawa Benizô in 1785. He took the name of Ichikawa Monzaburô I in the 11th lunar month of 1785 and was active up to his death in 1791. His last ranking, in the 1791 Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-(shiro)jô (superior - (white) superior). He died the 25th day of the 7th lunar month of 1791 [2].

Ichikawa Monzaburô II
Ichikawa Monzaburô II  In Japanese | Nakayama Ihachi II  In Japanese | Mizuki Seizô  In Japanese
 

Date of birth unknown. He started his career in Ôsaka hama shibai, performing under the name of Mizuki Seizô. He joined the Nakayama clan, becoming a disciple of Nakayama Raisuke II. He received the name of Nakayama Ihachi II in the 11th lunar month of 1784, in Kyôto at the Nishi no Shibai, working as a zamoto on Tatsuoka Mansaku's kaomise drama "Kuni no Hana Ôshimadai", in which he played the role of the fox Sankurô. He became a disciple of Ichikawa Danzô IV and settled in Edo within his new master during the Summer of 1798. He took the name of Ichikawa Monzaburô II in the 10th lunar month of 1798, in Edo at the Moritaza. He was active in Edo as a supporting tachiyaku actor up to 1831. Monzaburô's rank in the Edo 1831 hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent) [visual]. He most likely died in 1831.

Haimyô Yagô
Shisei Mikawaya, Harimaya

There will be in the future to come a full page dedicated to Ichikawa Monzaburô II in kabuki21.com.

The name of Ichikawa Monzaburô II in the 1831 Edo hyôbanki (the zone within the red box)

Ichikawa Monzaburô III
 

The actor Ichikawa Hakuzô III held the name of Ichikawa Monzaburô III from May 1935 to March 1966.

 

Notes

[1] It was reported in the latest edition (2012) of "Kabuki Haiyû Meiseki Benran" that Sodesaki Iseno III became a disciple of Ichikawa Danzô IV and changed his stage name to Ichikawa Benizô and Ichikawa Monzaburô I. This was not the case in Nojima Jusaburô's book "Kabuki Jinmei Jiten" in which it was written that Sodesaki Iseno III died in Edo in 1785. Below, an image taken from the 1786 Kyôto/Ôsaka hyôbanki with the name of Ichikawa Monzaburô (name written in the red box) and a text saying that his actor used to be named Sodesaki Iseno (name written in the blue box):

[2] The 25th day of the 7th lunar month of the 3rd year of the Kansei era was the 24th of August 1791 in the western calendar.

 
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