| NAMIKI SÔSUKE |
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Playwright names:
Poetry names: Senryû, Shichûan Existence: 1695 ~ 7th day of the 9th lunar month of 1751 [1] Connection: Master: Nishizawa Icchû Disciples: Namiki Shôzô I, Namiki Eisuke I, Namiki Senryû II, Namiki Jôsuke, Namiki Toshisuke, Namiki Ryôsuke, Namiki Sankatsu Career: 1695 ~ 1720s: first he was a buddhist priest in the Jôjûji temple in Mihara, Bingo province. Then he leaves the priesthood and settles in Ôsaka, where he becomes a disciple of Nishizawa Icchû, working with his master at the Toyotakeza. He calls himself Tanaka Senryû. 7th lunar month of 1723: he takes part to the creation of Nishizawa Icchû's puppet drama "Izutsuya Genroku Koi no Kanzarashi" at the Toyotakeza. 4th lunar month of 1726: he takes the name of Namiki Sôsuke and works with his master Nishizawa Icchû on the creation of the puppet drama "Hôjô Jiraiki" at the Toyotakeza. 8th lunar month of 1735: premiere in Ôsaka at the Toyotakeza of the puppet drama "Karukaya Dôshin Tsukushi no Iezuto"; the playwrights are Senryû and his disciple Namiki Jôsuke. 3rd lunar month of 1736: the play "Karukaya Dôshin Tsukushi no Iezuto" is adapted for Kabuki for the first time, in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai (unknown casting). Premiere in Ôsaka at the Toyotakeza of Sôsuke's puppet drama "Wada Gassen Onna Maizuru". 7th lunar month of 1737: premiere in Ôsaka at the Toyotakeza of Sôsuke's puppet drama "Kama-ga-Fuchi Futatsu Domoe". 2nd lunar month of 1740: premiere in Ôsaka at the Toyotakeza of Sôsuke's puppet drama "Hibariyama Himesute Matsu". 1741: Sôsuke goes to Edo to work as a puppet sakusha at the Hizenza. Summer 1742: he goes back to Ôsaka to become a Kabuki sakusha. 2nd lunar month of 1743: he changes his names to Namiki Sôsuke ( 11th lunar month of 1743: he creates, along with Namiki Eisuke I, the kaomise drama "Futatsu Biki Nishiki no Manmaku", which is produced by Nakamura Jûzô I at the Ônishi no Shibai and celebrates the arrival in Ôsaka of the star Sawamura Sôjûrô I; others actors are Nakamura Tomijûrô I, Iwai Hanshirô III, Sakurayama Shirosaburô II, Nakamura Shingorô I, Sanogawa Mangiku, Arashi Shichigorô I and Mimasu Daigorô I. 1745: he takes the name of Namiki Senryû I and goes back to the pupper world. 7th lunar month of 1745: premiere in Ôsaka at the Takemotoza of the puppet drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami"; the playwrights are Senryû, Miyoshi Shôraku and Takeda Koizumo I. 8th lunar month of 1745: the play "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" is immediately adapted for Kabuki and staged for the first time in the 8th lunar month of 1745 in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater [more details]. 12th lunar month of 1745: the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" is performed for the first time in Ôsaka, simultaneously in the three major theaters of the city, which starts a competition for the best performance and line-up:
8th lunar month of 1746: premiere in Ôsaka at the Takemotoza of the puppet drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; the playwrights are Senryû, Takeda Izumo I, Miyoshi Shôraku and Takeda Koizumo I. 9th lunar month of 1746: the play "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" is adapted for Kabuki for the first time, produced at the Kitagawa no Shibai by Nakamura Kiyosaburô I [casting]. 3rd lunar month of 1747: the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" is performed for the first time in Edo, at the Ichimuraza [casting]. 5th lunar month of 1747: the play "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" is produced at the Nakamuraza for the first time [casting]. 11th lunar month of 1747: premiere in Ôsaka at the Takemotoza of the puppet drama "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura"; the playwrights are Senryû, Takeda Izumo II and Miyoshi Shôraku. 1st lunar month of 1748: the play "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura" is adapted for Kabuki for the first time and staged in Ise with the actors Kataoka Nizaemon IV (Tokaiya Ginpei, Yokawa no Zenji Kakuhan) and Yamamoto Koheiji (Tadanobu). 8th lunar month of 1748: premiere in Ôsaka at the Takemotoza of the puppet drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura"; the playwrights are Senryû, Takeda Izumo II and Miyoshi Shôraku. 12th lunar month of 1748: the play "Kanadehon Chûshingura" is adapted for Kabuki for the first time, in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai [casting]. 7th lunar month of 1749: premiere in Ôsaka at the Takemotoza of the puppet play "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki"; the playwrights are Senryû, Takeda Izumo II and Miyoshi Shôraku. 11th lunar month of 1749: premiere in Ôsaka at the Takemotoza of the puppet play "Genpei Nunobiki no Taki"; the playwrights are Senryû and Miyoshi Shôraku. 4th lunar month of 1750: the play "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" is produced at the Moritaza for the first time [casting]. 1751: he takes back the name of Namiki Sôsuke and works on the future puppet drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki". Act I, II and III are completed. 7th day of the 9th lunar month of 1751 [1]: Sôsuke dies. 12th lunar month of 1751: premiere at the Toyotakeza of the puppet play "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki", which was initially written by Namiki Sôsuke; act IV and V were written by Asada Icchô, Namioka Geiji, Namiki Shôzô I, Naniwa Sanzô and Toyotake Jinroku. Comments: Namiki Sôsuke was the founder of the Namiki clan and created some of the most famous traditional dramas of both the puppet and Kabuki repertoires: his most famous creations are the famous Kabuki Sandai Meisaku Kyôgen. He is considered the second greatest Japanese playwright after Chikamatsu Monzaemon. [1] The 7th day of the 9th lunar month of the 4th year of the Kan'en era was the 25th of October 1751 in the western calendar.
Namiki Sôsuke The Namiki Senryû line of playwrights |
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