Pen names:

Kadota Sorobê
Ida Sorobê
Kanai Sanpei II

Existence: ???

Connection:

Master: Kanai Sanshô

Career:

Before 1761: disciple of Kanai Sanshô, he received the name of Kanai Sanpei II.

1st lunar month of 1761: Sanpei worked at the Ichimuraza on the new year drama "Edo Murasaki Kongen Soga".

11th lunar month of 1763: Sanpei became nimaime sakusha and worked at the Nakamuraza, along with Kanai Sanshô, Masuyama Kinpachi I, Nakamura Tôkitsu, Hata Bunsuke, Sei Hidesuke and Kawai Kinji, on the kaomise drama "Daijôbu Takadachi Jikki", which celebrated the shûmei of Ichikawa Yaozô II and Ichikawa Komazô II.

11th lunar month of 1765: he became tatesakusha, took the name of Ida Sorobê and worked at the Nakamuraza, along with Nakamura Jûsuke II, Dontsû Yosabê I, Masuyama Kinpachi I and Nakamura Sadasuke, on the kaomise drama "Kagura Uta Amagoi Komachi", which celebrated the shûmei of Iwai Hanshirô IV.

11th lunar month of 1766: he took the name of Kadota Sorobê and worked at the Nakamuraza, along with Dontsû Yosabê I, Nakamura Jûsuke II, Masuyama Kinpachi I, Sei Hidesuke and Kawatake Shinshichi I, on the kaomise drama "Kogane no Hana Kaijin Arasmusha", which celebrated the arrival in Edo of the Kamigata actor Kirishima Gizaemon I.

1st lunar month of 1767: Sorobê wrote the lyrics of the dance-drama "Musume Nanakusa", which was premiered at the Nakamuraza, staged within the new year drama "Hatsu Akinai Ômise Soga"; the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune, Soga Jûrô Sukenari and Shizuka Gozen were played by Ichikawa Benzô I, Ichikawa Komazô II and Nakamura Matsue I.

11th lunar month of 1767: Sorobê worked at the Nakamuraza, along with Dontsû Yosabê I, Kawatake Shinshichi I, Sei Hidesuke and Tsuuchi Denjûrô II, on the kaomise drama "Taiheiki Shizu no Furisode".

1st lunar month of 1768: Sorobê worked in the same theater on the new year sogamono drama "Fude Hajime Soga no Tamazusa"; the roles of Kudô Saemon Suketsune, Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari were played by Ichikawa Danjûrô IV, Ichikawa Yaozô II and Ichikawa Komazô II.

End of the 1760s ~ Kansei era: He stopped working as a sakusha and became a bonze and an Edo kadozuke. No record afterwards.

Comments:

Kadota Sorobê was an Edo sakusha, who was active during the 1760s. He was the author of the dance-drama "Musume Nanakusa".

The name of Kadota Sorobê in the Edo Kabuki-related book "Yakusha Homare-chô" (published by Kikuoka Kichiemon in 1770)

The Kanai Sanpei line of playwrights