| ICHIKAWA MONNOSUKE VII |
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Stage names:
Real name: Sôma Takashi Guild: Takinoya Line number: SHICHIDAIME (VII) Poetry name: Hakugyo Blazon: four maple leaves Existence: 7 September 1928 ~ 13 October 1990 Connections: Adoptive father: Ichikawa Shôchô II Master: Ichimura Uzaemon XV Son-in-law: Ichikawa Komazô XI Disciples: Ichikawa Kôsha, Ichikawa Takashi II, Ichikawa Takijirô, Ichikawa Takiyuki Career: 7 September 1928: born in Tôkyô. April 1934: he made his debut on stage, in Tôkyô at the Tôkyô Gekijô, where he received the name of Ichikawa Takashi I and performed in the dance-drama "Onatsu Kyôran". July 1934: premiere with a Kabuki troupe at the Kabukiza of Hasegawa Shin's 1928 drama "Kutsukake Tokijirô"; Takashi played the role of Sanzô's son Tarokichi [more details]. 19 August 1940: his adoptive father Ichikawa Shôchô II died. 6 May 1945: his master Ichimura Uzaemon XV died. August 1946: Ichikawa Takashi I became nadai and took the name of Ichikawa Shôchô III. July 1951: premiere at the Kabukiza of Uno Nobuo's drama "Jiisan Baasan"; Shôchô played the role of Kyûya's wife Kiku [casting]. July 1953: revival at the Meijiza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's 1878 drama "Tsûzoku Saiyûki"; Shôchô played the role of the kanjo Sakan [casting]. May 1954: Shôchô achieved a great success at the Kabukiza with his performance in the drama "Genji Monogatari". October 1955: first Kabuki tour in the Popular Republic of China, in Beijing (2~13 october), Shanghai (17~18 october) and Guangzhou (24~25 october); Shôchô played the role of Hanako in the dance "Meoto Dôjôji" [more details]. Shôchô had the opportunity to meet the stars of the Chinese Traditional Opera like the famous Mei Lan-Fang. March 1956: premiere in Kabuki at the Meijiza of Hôjô Hideji's drama "Ii Tairô"; Shôchô played the role of Masako-no-Kata [more details]. February 1960: premiere at the Kabukiza of Uno Nobuo's drama "Shiranui Kengyô"; Shôchô played the role of Shichibei's wife Oshin [casting]. April 1960: premiere at the Kabukiza of Hagiwara Yukio's dance-drama "Onizoroi Momijigari"; Shôchô played the role of a female retainer, in reality a female demon [casting]. February 1962: Ichikawa Shôchô III took the name of Ichikawa Monnosuke VII at the Kabukiza, performing in "Izumo Okuni" and "Kusazuribiki". November 1962: revival at the Kabukiza of the drama "Fudô", a play belonging to the Kabuki Jûhachiban; Monnosuke played the role of the koshimoto Tsuruha, in reality Kumedera Danjô's sister Matsugae [more details]. May 1965: shûmei at the Kabukiza for 3 young actors of the Otowaya guild; Onoe Ushinosuke V, Onoe Sakon I and Bandô Kamesaburô IV respectively took the names of Onoe Kikunosuke IV, Onoe Tatsunosuke I, and Bandô Shinsui VIII. The program also commemorated the 16th anniversary (17th memorial service) of the passing away of Onoe Kikugorô VI. Revival in the same theater of the danmari "Otowa-ga-Dake Danmari"; Monnosuke played the role of Kusakiri's daughter Otaki [more details]. October 1965: Monnosuke took part in the first Kabuki tour in Western Europe, playing the roles of Chidori and Kaoyo Gozen in the dramas "Heike Nyogo no Shima" and "Kanadehon Chûshingura" [casting]. March 1967: revival at the National Theatre of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", which was supervised by Gunji Masakatsu; Monnosuke played the role of Yoshida Matsuwaka [casting]. February 1975: premiere at the Kabukiza of Ikenami Shôtarô's drama "Debauchi Otama"; Monnosuke played the role of Yoshinoya Oroku [more details]. March 1975: revival at the National Theatre of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Jiraiya Gôketsu Monogatari"; Monnosuke played the role of Ayame [casting]. February 1976: revival at the Kabukiza of a 5-act revised version of Funahashi Seiichi's drama "Ejima Ikushima"; Monnosuke played the role of the sokushitsu Gekkôin [casting]. April 1976: revival at the Meijiza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Ogasawara Sôdô"; Monnosuke played the roles of Odai-no-Kata and Ohaya [casting]. February 1977: premiere at the Kabukiza of Ikenami Shôtarô's drama "Ichimatsu Kozô no Onna"; Monnosuke played the role of Okichi [more details]. March 1977: revival at the National Theatre of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Shiranui Monogatari"; Monnosuke played the role of Namiroku's nyôbô Koiso [more details]. April 1977: revival at the Meijiza of Katsu Genzô II's drama "Kimi-wa-Fune Nami no Uwajima"; Monnosuke played the roles of Hatsune and Otatsu [casting]. May 1977: revival at the Minamiza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Ogasawara Sôdô"; Monnosuke played the roles of Odai-no-Kata and Ohaya [casting]. July 1977: revival at the Kabukiza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Ogasawara Sôdô"; Monnosuke played the roles of Odai-no-Kata and Ohaya [casting]. February 1978: premiere at the Kabukiza of Ikenami Shôtarô's drama "Aibiki no Onna"; Monnosuke played the role of Otatsu [more details]. July 1980: revival at the Kabukiza of the never-performed 5th act of "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura"; Monnosuke played the role of Shizuka Gozen [more details]. March 1981: revival at the National Theatre of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Jitsugetsusei Kyôwa Seidan"; Monnosuke played the role of the okujochû Takekawa, in reality Kôjûrô's sister Otsuta [casting]. July 1981: revival at the Kabukiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Hitori Tabi Gojûsan Tsugi"; Monnosuke played the role of Osode [casting]. June 1983: Monnosuke received a special cultural prize awarded by the city of Bolognia in Italy. April 1984: revival at the Meijiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's 1813 kaomise drama "Gohiiki Tsunagi Uma"; Monnosuke played the roles of Minamoto no Yorimitsu and Ohayku (in reality Tawara Chiharu) [more details]. April 1987: Monnosuke took part in the revival at the Meijiza of the play "Jûni Hitoe Komachi Zakura", which included the famous Tokiwazu-based dance-drama "Tsumoru Koi Yuki no seki no To" [more details]. July 1990: Monnosuke appeared on stage for the last time, at the Kabukiza, where he played the role of Izutsuya Denbê in the drama "Horikawa"; his stage partners were Ichikawa Danshirô IV (the sarumawashi Yojirô) and Nakamura Shibajaku VII (Oshun). 13 October 1990: Monnosuke died. Comments: Ichikawa Monnosuke VII was an outstanding supporting onnagata and nimaime, trained by two great actors, Ichikawa Shôchô II for the onnagata roles and Ichimura Uzaemon XV for the tachiyaku roles. He performed a lot with Ichikawa Ennosuke II from 1945, became a leading actor at the Tôyoko Hall (Tôkyô) and later on the tateonnagata of the troupe led by Ichikawa Ennosuke III. He was a well-cultivated man who took part in many TV Quizz shows. |
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Ichikawa Monnosuke VII playing the role of the courtesan Shiratama in the drama "Kurotegami Kuruwa no Tatehiki" in a print made by Tsuruya Kôkei in September 1989 The Ichikawa Shôchô line of actors The Ichikawa Monnosuke line of actors |
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