Stage name:

Mimasu Kanzô I

Guild: Masuya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Tôri

Existence: ???

Connection:

Brother: Mimasu Daigorô I

Career:

Before 1757: Born in Kyôto. Younger brother of Mimasu Daigorô I, his stage name was Mimasu Kanzô I.

11th lunar month of 1757: recorded for the first time when he performed as a katakiyaku at the Minamigawa no Shibai in the kiri kyôgen drama "Kitano no Goengi Senbon Ume", which was produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I and Somematsu Matsujirô.

Fall 1758: Kanzô settled in Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1758: Kanzô performed at the Kado no Shibai in Namiki Shôzô I's kaomise drama "Arigatashi Fujiwara Keizu", which was produced by Nakayama Bunshichi I.

12th lunar month of 1758: premiere at the Kado no Shibai of Namiki Shôzô I's ni-no-kawari drama "Sanjikkoku Yofune no Hajimari"; for the very first time in Kabuki history, a mawari-butai, invented by Namiki Shôzô I, was built and used on the stage of a theater [more details]; Kanzô played the roles of Ishibashi Chûjô & the yakko Ganpei.

1st lunar month of 1761: premiere at the Kado no Shibai of Namiki Shôzô I's ni-no-kawari drama "Kiritarô Tengu no Sakamori"; Kanzô played the role of Hiki Gundayû [more details].

11th lunar month of 1764: Kanzô performed at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Tatsu no Miya Yunzei Kotobuki", which was produced by his elder brother Mimasu Daigorô I.

11th lunar month of 1765: Kanzô performed at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Ôzatsuki Shuen no Kachidoki" ^[2], which was produced by Mimasu Daigorô I and Nakamura Utaemon I.

11th lunar month of 1770: Kanzô played at the Naka no Shibai the role of Matano Gorô in the kaomise drama "Ma'ichimonjiya Sakigake Hyôban", which was produced by Ogawa Kichitarô I. No record afterwards. He most likely died at the beginning of 1771.

Comments:

Mimasu Kanzô I was a promising Kamigata katakiyaku actor, who was active from the second half of the 1750s to the beginning of the 1770s. He excelled in jidaimono. He unfortunately died too young.

Mimasu Kanzô I (left) and Anegawa Daikichi I (right) playing the roles of the yakko Ganpei and Hanamitsu Kenpô's nyôbô Miyuki in the ni-no-kawari drama "Sanjikkoku Yofune no Hajimari", which was staged in the 12th lunar month of 1758 in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai