Stage names:

Nakamura Kan'emon III
Nakamura Umenosuke III
Nakamura Umemaru

Real name: Mitsui Kanejirô

Guild: Narikomaya

Line number: SANDAIME (III)

Existence: 2 February 1901 ~ 21 September 1989

Connections:

Father: Nakamura Kan'emon II

Master: Nakamura Utaemon V

Brother: Nakamura Nakasuke III

Son: Nakamura Umenosuke IV

Grandson: Nakamura Baijaku II

Career:

November 1905: he makes his first appearance on stage at the Ryûseiza, where he receives the name of Nakamura Umemaru and plays the role of Karasu Tengû in the drama "Yamamba".

1910: he becomes disciple of Nakamura Shikan V and takes the name of Nakamura Umenosuke III.

April 1919: his father Nakamura Kan'emon II dies.

April 1920: he becomes nadai and takes the name of Nakamura Kan'emon III.

February 1926: foundation with Bandô Utazô and Nakamura Utagorô of a reformist study group named Tomodachiza ("the friends troupe"). Their first show is staged in Kanda at the Shingoeza and includes the jidaimono "Youchi Soga Kariba no Akebono", the sewamono "Domo Mata" and the dance "Hashi Benkei".

1929: 17th and final show for the Tomodachiza.

November 1929: he starts a reformist theater magazine name Gekisen ("Theater Combat"). He has to leave his master's clan because of his radical stand.

1930: Kan'emon leaves the Shôchiku, the main Kabuki show-producing company in Japan.

September 1930: revival at the Meijiza of Tsuruya Namboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", produced under the title "Tôryû Azuma Bunshô"; Kan'emon plays the role of the priest Zangetsu [casting].

May 1931: foundation of the Zenshinza troupe, a left-wing and progressive theater troupe led by Kawarazaki Chôjûrô IV and Kan'emon.

April 1932: Kan'emon plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Hosokawa Katsumoto and Arajishi Otokonosuke in the classic "Meiboku Sendai Hagi".

August 1932: Kan'emon plays at the Shimbashi Embujô the role of Tanomo in Tsuruya Namboku IV's drama "Kameyama no Adauchi".

November 1933: the Zenshinza troupe produces for the first time the dance-drama "Kanjinchô" at the Shimbashi Embujô with Kan'emon (Togashi), Kawarazaki Chôjûrô IV (Benkei) and Kawarazaki Kunitarô V (Yoshitsune).

June 1938: Kan'emon plays at the Shinjuku Daiichi Gekijô the role of Kyûsaku in Tsuruya Namboku IV's drama "Osome no Nanayaku".

1941: Kan'emon plays the role of Tomimori Sukeemon in the movie "Genroku Chûshingura", which is directed by Mizoguchi Kenji and produced by the compagnie Shôchiku.

June 1942: Kan'emon plays for the first time the role of Sukeemon in the "Ohama Goten" scene of the drama "Genroku Chûshingura", which is staged at the Shimbashi Embujô.

July ~ October 1947: Kan'emon plays for the first time the role of Sôgorô in the drama "Shinsarayashiki Tsuki no Amagasa", which is staged during a Zenshinza Japan tour.

1952 ~ 1955: clandestine study stay in China.

November 1958: Kan'emon plays the role of Soga no Iruka in the bombastic drama "Zôhiki" (which belongs to the kabuki jûhachiban), revived by the Zenshinza and staged at the Yomiuri Hall (Tôkyô).

December 1959: Kan'emon plays at the Meijiza the role of Sasano Sangobei in Namiki Gohei I's drama "Godairiki Koi no Fûjime". His stage partners are Kawarazaki Chôjûrô IV (Satsuma Gengobei) and Kawarazaki Kunitarô V (Sakuraya Koman).

1965: Kan'emon plays in the movie "Kaidan", directed by Kobayashi Masaki.

January 1967: ideological breaking off between Kawarazaki Chôjûrô IV and Kan'emon, the two mainstays of the Zenshinza; the former actor is suddenly expelled from the Zenshinza.

1969: Kan'emon plays in the movie "Tengûtô", directed by Yamamoto Satsuo.

December 1972: Kan'emon plays for the last time the role of Sakanaya Sôgorô in the drama "Shinsarayashiki Tsuki no Amagasa", which is staged during a Zenshinza Japan tour.

December 1975: Kan'emon plays for the last time the role of Sukeemon in the "Ohama Goten" scene of the drama "Genroku Chûshingura", which is staged at the Shimbashi Embujô.

December 1978: Kan'emon plays at the Shimbashi Embujô the role of Gappô in Tsuruya Namboku IV and Sakurada Jisuke II drama "Ehon Gappô-ga-Tsuji".

Comments:

Nakamura Kan'emon III was the cofounder of the Zenshinza troupe and an amazing tachiyaku actor, who played an important role in the revivals of old classics or the productions of new dramas. His forte were sewamono dramas.

Nakamura Kan'emon III's best roles : Shunkan ("Heike Nyogo-ga-Shima"), Sakanaya Sôgorô ("Shinsarayashiki Tsuki no Amagasa"), Mohei ("Ippon Gatana Dohyô Iri") and Sukeemon ("Ohama Goten").