Stage names:
Ichikawa Dannosuke III
Ichikawa Danko
Guild: Mikawaya
Line number: SANDAIME (III)
Poetry name: Sankô
Existence: 1786 ~ 2 November 1817
Connection:
Father: Ichikawa Danzô IV
Brother: Ichikawa Dannosuke IV
Career:
1790: he receives the name of Ichikawa Danko and starts his training in Ôsaka with his father. He joins a troupe of children-actors at the Takeda no Shibai (kodomo shibai).
1800: he becomes wakaonnagata and takes the name of Ichikawa Dannosuke III.
Fall 1806: Dannosuke goes to Edo.
November 1806: Dannosuke achieves a great success by playing the leading role of the "Onna Shibaraku" scene in the kaomise drama "Wakazakari Heike Monogatari".
July 1808: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Tsuruya Namboku IV's drama "Toki-mo Kikyô Shusse no Ukejô"; Dannosuke plays the role of Satsuki [casting].
January 1809: Dannosuke's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent).
August 1809: Dannosuke plays at the Moritaza the roles of Shizuka Gozen and Kosen in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
9 October 1808: his father Ichikawa Danzô IV dies.
August 1809: Dannosuke plays at the Moritaza the role of Matahei's wife Otoku in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Keisei Hangonkô"; the role of Matahei is played by Bandô Hikosaburô III.
July 1811: premiere at the Ichimuraza of "Tamamo-no-Mae Obana no Nishiki", the Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Tamamo-no-Mae Asahi no Tamoto"; Dannosuke plays the role of Kazusanosuke's wife Tokiwazu [more details].
September 1811: Dannosuke plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Suke-no-Tsubone and Wakaba-no-Naishi in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
September 1812: Dannosuke plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Kan Shôjô and Chiyo in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".
September 1812: Dannosuke plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Kaoyo Gozen, Tonase and Osono in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
July 1814: Dannosuke plays at the Ichimuraza the role of the courtesan Hakata Kojorô in the play "Imaori Hakata no Irifune", which is very similar to "Kezori". His stage partners are Ichikawa Danjûrô VII (the smuggler Genkai Nadaemon) and Seki Sanjûrô II (Komachiya Sôshichi).
September 1812: Dannosuke plays at the Ichimuraza the role the courtesan Yûgiri in the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô"; the role of Yûgiri's lover Fujiya Izaemon is played by Iwai Hanshirô V.
March 1815: Dannosuke plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Shizuka Gozen, Suke-no-Tsubone and Wakaba-no-Naishi in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
September 1815: the Ichimuraza goes bankrupt and gives its license to the Kiriza.
November 1815: Dannosuke's yearly salary is 800 ryô.
March 1816: Dannosuke and Kiri Chôkiri, the two managers of the Kiriza, opens their theater, producing the drama "Tasuketamae Kami no Manimani".
12 January 1817: a fire breaks out in the district of Norimono-chô, which destroys the Kiriza.
March 1817: the Kiriza and welcomes for its reopening a group of 13 Kamigata, which is led by the star Kataoka Nizaemon VII and Bandô Jûtarô. Dannosuke performs in the drama "Shinbutai Megumi no Ishizue".
October 1817: Dannosuke fails in the management of the Kiriza and has to hand over his license for Kabuki performances to the Miyakoza. He falls ill and, because of both illness and the heavy burden of the Kiriza debts, commits suicide the 2nd of November 1817.
Comments:
Ichikawa Dannosuke III was a talented and popular onnagata actor, who made a short but successful career in Edo during the Bunka era. He was able to play any kind of female role, in jidaimono as well as in sewamono.
Ichikawa Dannosuke III playing the role of Shizuka Gozen in the travelling dance (michiyuki) "Yoshinoyama" of the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura", which was staged in March 1815 at the Ichimuraza (print made by Utagawa Toyokuni I)
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1812
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1815
The Ichikawa Dannosuke line of actors