ICHIKAWA EBIJ�R� I (original) (raw)

Stage names:

Guild: Harimaya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry names: Shikaku, Shinsh�

Existence: 1777 ~ 16th day of the 7th lunar month of 1827 [1]

Connection:

Masters: Ichikawa Danj�r� VII, Ichikawa Danz� IV

Son: Ichikawa Ebij�r� II

Grandson: Ichikawa Ichiz� III

Disciples: Ichikawa Ebij�r� III, Ichikawa Sukej�r� IV

Career:

1777 ~ 1808: born in �saka. He started his career as a disciple of Ichikawa Danz� IV, who gave him the name of Ichikawa Ichiz� I. He performed in miyaji shibai or hama shibai.

Winter 1799: Ichiz� performed for the first time in �shibai in �saka at the Naka no Shibai.

6th lunar month of 1808: tour in Nagoya with Kataoka Nizaemon VII, Nakayama Tomisabur� I, Ogino Izabur� II, Nakayama Bungor� I and Ichikawa Yaoz� IV; they performed at the Tachibana no Shibai in dramas like "Keisei Takasago no Matsu", "Futa Meoto Sarashi no Hinagata" or "Azuma Kagami Mikari no Maki".

9th day of the 10th lunar month of 1808 [2]: his master died; Ichiz� had to replace him on the spot in the role of Sat� Masakiyo in the drama "Hachijin Shugo no Honj�", which was staged at the Naka no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1809: following a quarrel with Ichikawa Danz� IV's adopted son Ichikawa Danzabur� IV, he took the name of Ichinokawa Ichiz�; he played at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Katada Saichi and the send� Genpachi in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Koi no Hikifune" (a drama similar to "Sanjikkoku Yofune no Hajimari").

12th lunar month of 1809: Ichiz� performed his onagori ky�gen at the Kita-Horie Ichi-no-Gawa Shibai (�saka), playing the role of the yakko Ranpei in the drama "Yamatogana Ariwara Keizu".

1st lunar month of 1810: Ichiz� went to Edo and played at the Moritaza the roles of Sat� Masakiyo and Sasaki Takatsuna in the drama "Hachijin Shugo no Honj�".

5th lunar month of 1811: Ichiz� played for the first time 7 roles (nanayaku) in the drama "Kanadehon Ch�shingura", which was staged at the Moritaza.Roles: K� no Moron�, �boshi Yuranosuke, Kakogawa Honz�, Hayano Kanpei, Yoichib�, Ono no Sadakur� and Amakawaya Gihei. His master was the first actor in Kabuki history to perform 7 roles in "Kanadehon Ch�shingura" (some differences in the roles between the master and the disciple). Ichiz� achieved a great success with his performance.

11th lunar month of 1811: he took back the name of Ichikawa Ichiz� I and performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Azuma no Hana Iwai no Dairi" [illustration].

11th lunar month of 1812: Ichiz� became jitsuaku and played at the Nakamuraza 5 roles in the drama "Edo Zakura Megumi no Takanori".

1st lunar month of 1813: Ichiz�'s rank in the Edo hy�banki, jitsuaku section, was j�-j�-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

7th lunar month of 1815: he was introduced by Nakamura Utaemon III to the Edo actor Ichikawa Danj�r� VII, who welcomed him as a high-ranking disciple, gave him the name of Ichikawa Ebij�r� I and many presents like swords, which had belonged to Ichikawa Ebiz� II and Ichikawa Ebiz� III.

9th lunar month of 1815: he took the name of Ichikawa Ebij�r� I at the Nakamuraza, playing the role of Kamura Utaemon [3] and the fisherman Fukashichi (in reality Kanawa Gor� Imakuni) [4] in the dramas "Oriawase Tsuzure no Nishiki" [3] and "Imoseyama Onna Teikin" [4]; his main stage partners were Nakamura Utaemon III, Band� Mitsugor� III, Nakamura Matsue III and Onoe Baik� III.

Fall 1815: Ebij�r� and Nakamura Utaemon III went back to Kamigata together.

11th lunar month of 1815: Ebij�r� played at the Kado no Shibai the roles of Hayano Kanpei, Ono Kuday� and Takuhei in the drama "Taiheiki Ch�shin K�shaku".

1st lunar month of 1816: Ebij�r�'s rank in the Kamigata hy�banki, tachiyaku/jitsuaku section (a special section for Ebij�r� only), was j�-j�-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

10th lunar month of 1817: Ebij�r� plays 7 roles (nanayaku) in the drama "Kanadehon Ch�shingura", which was staged at the Kita-Horie Ichi-no-Gawa Shibai (�saka). Same roles as the 5th lunar month of 1811 performance.

1st lunar month of 1819: Ebij�r� played at the Kado no Shibai the role of Shigetada in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki"; his stage partners in the roles of the courtesan Akoya and Iwanaga Saemon were Nakamura Matsue III and Asao Kuzaemon I.

1st lunar month of 1820: Ebij�r� and his son Ichikawa Ichiz� II went together to Edo; They performed at the Kawarasakiza in the new year sogamono drama "Tama no Haru Soga no Kadomatsu".

5th lunar month of 1821: Ebij�r� played at the Nakamuraza the roles of Benkei and T�yata in the drama "Gosho Zakura Horikawa no Youchi". He also played the roles of �boshi Yuranosuke and Kakogawa Honz� in "Kanadehon Ch�shingura".

7th lunar month of 1821: Ebij�r� played in the same theater the roles of Shiga Taishichi, the sh�ya Shichirob� and Azumaya Kichibei in the drama "Go Taiheiki Shiraishi Banashi".

Fall 1821: Ebij�r� went back to �saka.

11th lunar month of 1821: Ebij�r� played at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Saemon and Heita in the drama "Sanjikkoku Yofune no Hajimari".

12th lunar month of 1821: Ebij�r� played in the same theater 2 roles in the drama "Sugata Kurabe Deiri no Minato".

6th lunar month of 1822: tour in Miyajima with Sawamura Kunitar� II.

11th lunar month of 1823: Ebij�r� played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Shigetada in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki"; his stage partners were Nakamura Utaemon III (Iwanaga Saemon) and Nakamura Karoku I (Akoya).

1st lunar month of 1824: Ebij�r�'s rank in the Kamigata hy�banki was itaru-j�-j�-kichi (unique - superior - superior - excellent) [Visual].

2nd lunar month of 1826: Ebij�r� played at the Kitagawa no Shibai the roles of Rokusuke and Senoo J�r� Kaneyasu in the dramas "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi" and "Genpei Nunobiki no Taki".

1st lunar month of 1827: Ebij�r�'s rank in the Kamigata hy�banki, jitsuaku and katakiyaku section, was (shiro)�-j�-j�-kichi ((white) grand - superior - superior - excellent) [Visual]. He appeared on stage for the last time, at the Naka no Shibai, playing 4 roles in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Asoyama Zakura".

16th day of the 7th lunar month of 1827 [1]: Ebij�r� died in �saka.

Comments:

Ichikawa Ebij�r� I was a talented tachiyaku actor, who was trained by Ichikawa Danz� IV and achieved fame for himself in both Edo and Kamigata. He excelled in large-scale tachimawari and hayagawari techniques.

[1] The 16th day of the 7th lunar month of the 10th year of the Bunsei era was the 6th of September 1827 in the western calendar.

[2] The 9th day of the 10th lunar month of the 5th year of the Bunka era was the 26th of November 1808 in the western calendar.

[3] The roles of Shund� Jir�zaemon and Takaichi Buemon were played by Nakamura Utaemon III and Band� Mitsugor� III.

[4] The roles of Soga no Iruka and Omiwa were played by Nakamura Utaemon III.