Stage names:
Ichikawa En'ô
Ichikawa Ennosuke II
Ichikawa Danko I
Real name: Kinoshi Masayasu
Guild: Omodakaya
Existence: 21 May 1888 ~ 12 June 1963
Connection:
Father: Ichikawa Danshirô II
Brothers: Ichikawa Juen I, Ichikawa Chûsha VIII, Ichikawa Kodayû II
Grandsons: Ichikawa Ennosuke III, Ichikawa Danshirô IV
Great-grandson: Ichikawa Kamejirô II
Disciples: Ichikawa Dan'en II, Ichikawa Juen II, Ichikawa Enzaburô
Career:
May 1888: born in Tôkyô in the district of Asakusa Senzoku.
October 1892: first stage appearance, at the Kabukiza, where he receives the name of Ichikawa Danko I and plays a child role in the drama "Sekigahara Homare no Gaika".
1909: Danko joins the Jiyû Gekijô troupe ("Free Theatre" in English) led by Ichikawa Sadanji II.
October 1910: Ichikawa Danko I and his father Ichikawa Ennosuke I respectively take the names of Ichikawa Ennosuke II and Ichikawa Danshirô II at the Kabukiza. The two actors play together in the drama "Kiri Hitoha" and the long-forgotten bombastic drama "Kamahige".
1919: Ennosuke travels to Europe and to the USA to study theatre and dance abroad. This eye-opening trip leads him to become involved in the creation of new productions.
September 1919: premiere at the Kabukiza of the Kiyomoto-based dance "Sumidagawa" (a Nô adapted to Kabuki by Yamazaki Shikô with a musical accompaniment made by Kiyomoto Umekichi II), inspired by Russian ballets. Ennosuke plays the role of the wandering woman Hanjo-no-Mae, desesparately looking for her abducted son Umewakamaru along the Sumida River [casting].
1920: creation of the first Shunjûkai, a study group, whose main advisors are the playwright Osanai Kaoru and the actor Ichikawa Sadanji II. The first program of the Shunjûkai is staged in October at the Shintomiza and is made up of Tanizaki Jun'ichirô's "Hôseiji Monogatari", Kikuchi Kan's "Chichi Kaeri" and Okamoto Kidô's "Nadate Kuzure". The star of this program is Ennosuke, surrounded with Bandô Jusaburô III, Ichikawa Sumizô VI, Ichikawa Shôchô II, Ichikawa Yaozô VIII, Ichikawa Kôjaku and Ichikawa Sashô II.
June 1924: premiere at the Ichimuraza of the Nagauta-based kyôgen "Akutarô", which is adapted to Kabuki by Okamura Shikô, with a choreography and a musical accompaniment made by Hanayagi Jusuke II and Kineya Sakichi IV. The leading role of Akutarô is played by Ennosuke.
November 1927: premiere at the Hongôza of Kimura Tomiko's dance "Kôya Monogurui" (a Nô drama adapted to Kabuki), which mixes Nagauta and Gidayû musical accompaniments. The leading role of Kôshi no Shirô is played by Ennosuke.
September 1928: premiere at the Kabukiza of Kimura Tomiko's Tokiwazu-based dance "Koma", with a choreography and a musical accompaniment made by Hanayagi Jusuke II and Tokiwazu Mojibei III. The leading role is played by Ennosuke.
February 1929: premiere at the Meijiza of Kimura Tomiko's Nagauta-based dance "Nomitori Otoko", with a choreography and a musical accompaniment made by Hanayagi Jusuke II and Kineya Sakichi IV. The leading role is played by Ennosuke.
September 1930: revival at the Meijiza of Tsuruya Namboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", produced under the title "Tôryû Azuma Bunshô"; Ennosuke plays the roles of Tsurigane no Gonsuke and Shinobu no Sôta [casting].
April 1934: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of Kimura Tomiko's Tokiwazu-based dance "Hanami Yakko", with a choreography and a musical accompaniment made by Hanayagi Jusuke II and Tokiwazu Mojibei III. The leading role of the yakko is played by Ennosuke.
January 1935: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of Uno Nobuo's drama "Fubuki Tôge"; Ennosuke plays the role of Sukezô [casting].
April 1936: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of "Ninin Sambasô", a 2-dancer version of the Sambasô dance, starring Ennosuke and his son Ichikawa Danshirô III.
September 1939: premiere at the Meijiza of Kimura Tomiko's dance "Kokaji" (a Nô drama adapted to Kabuki), which mixes Nagauta and Gidayû musical accompaniments. The leading role of the God Inari is played by Ennosuke.
November 1939: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of Kimura Tomiko's dance-drama "Kurozuka"; Ennosuke plays the role of the old woman Iwate, in reality an ogress [casting].
April 1941: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of Kimura Tomiko's Gidayû-based dance "Yoi Yakko". The leading role of the yakko Bekunai is played by Ennosuke.
November 1941: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of "Sengakuji", the eighth play of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura"; the leading role of Ôishi Kuranosuke is played by Ennosuke.
January 1944: the Ennosuke - Nakamura Tokizô III performs for the first time, at the Meijiza, the roles of Matahei and Otoku in the drama "Keisei Hangonkô".
May 1949: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of the dance-drama "Higaki"; Ennosuke plays the role of the old woman Higaki (in reality the ghost of Higaki) [casting].
July 1951: premiere at the Kabukiza of Uno Nobuo's drama "Jiisan Baasan"; Ennosuke plays the role of Minobe Iori [casting].
July 1954: Ennosuke plays the role of Mitsukuni at the Meijiza in the dance-drama "Masakado"; the role of Princess Takiyasha is played by Nakamura Tokizô III.
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); Ennosuke plays the roles of Benkei and Matahei in the dance-drama "Kanjinchô" and Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Keisei Hangonkô" [casting]. Ennosuke has the opportunity to meet the stars of the Chinese Traditional Opera like the famous Mei Lan-Fang.
February 1956: the Ennosuke - Tokizô duo plays for the fourth and last time the roles of Matahei and Otoku in the drama "Keisei Hangonkô", which is staged at the Kabukiza.
May 1963: great shûmei at the Kabukiza for the Omodakaya guild; Ichikawa Ennosuke II, Ichikawa Danko III and Ichikawa Kamejirô I respectively take the names of Ichikawa En'ô, Ichikawa Ennosuke III and Ichikawa Danko IV.
Comments:
Ichikawa En'ô was a revolutionary and dynamic actor, who created many new dances.
Ichikawa En'ô's best dance-dramas were gathered in 1964 by his grandson Ichikawa Ennosuke III in a special collection named En'ô Jûshu: "Akutarô", "Kurozuka", "Kôya Monogurui", "Kokaji", "Koma", "Ninin Sambasô", "Nomitori Otoko", "Hanami Yakko", "Yoi Yakko" and "Yoshinoyama".
Ichikawa Ennosuke II playing the role of the ogress in the dance-drama "Kurozuka" (oil painting made by Hasegawa Noboru in 1958)