Stage names:
Suketakaya Takasuke II
Suketakaya Shirogorô
Ichikawa Yaozô III
Segawa Yûjirô I
Sawamura Shirogorô I
Sawamura Kimpei I
Other name: Ichikawa Chûsha III
Guilds: Kinokuniya , Tachibanaya (Yaozô years)
Line number: NIDAIME (II)
Poetry names: Kôga, Chûsha (3)
Existence: 1747 ~ 13 December 1818
Connection:
Father: Sawamura Sôjûrô II
Brother: Sawamura Sôjûrô III
Masters: Ichikawa Danjûrô V, Segawa Kikunojô II
Son : Segawa Yûjirô II
Career:
Printemps 1760: first appearance on stage, at the Nakamuraza, where he receives the name of Sawamura Kimpei I and plays in the drama "Katachi ni Kage Masakado Soga".
November 1767: Sawamura Kimpei I takes the name of Sawamura Shirogorô I at the Ichimuraza, playing in the drama "Nue Shigedô Sakiwake Yûsha".
November 1769: he becomes disciple of the onnagata actor Segawa Kikunojô II, who gives him the name of Segawa Yûjirô I. They play together at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Kawaranu Hanasakae Hachinoki".
November 1777: he takes back the name of Sawamura Shirogorô I.
November 1779: he becomes disciple of the actor Ichikawa Danjûrô V, who gives him the name of Ichikawa Yaozô III; they play together at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Uta Kurabe Tôsei Moyô".
April 1780: first Kabuki adaptation of Utei Emba, Kijô Tarô and Yô Yôdai puppet theater drama "Go Taiheiki Shiraishi Banashi", which is produced in Edo at the Moritaza; Yaozô plays the role of Shinobu [casting].
1780: tour in Echigo with Matsumoto Kôshirô IV and Ôtani Hiroji III.
January 1791: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the Nagauta-based dance "Taimen Hana no Harukoma", which is performed at the end of the new year program "Haru no Sekai Nigiwai Soga"; Yaozô plays the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune [casting].
June 1795: the play "Miura no Ôsuke Ôbai Tazuna" is staged for the first time in Edo, at the Kiriza; Yaozô plays the role of Kajiwara Heizô Kagetoki [casting]. He also plays the role of Shunkan in the drama "Heike Nyogo-ga-Shima". His stage partners are Nakayama Tomisaburô I (Chidori), Ichikawa Danjûrô VI (Tanzaemon) and Yamatoyama Tomoemon (Senoo Tarô).
September 1796: the play "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi" is staged for the first time in Edo, simultaneously at the Kiriza and the Miyakoza; Yaozô plays the roles of Rokusuke and Kinugawa Yasaemon in the latter theater [casting].
January 1798: premiere at the Kiriza (Edo) of Namiki Gohei I's play "Tomioka Koi no Yamabiraki", commonly called "Ninin Shimbei", in which Yaozô plays the role of Tamaya Shimbei [casting].
August 1803: Yaozô plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Tadanobu, the fox Genkurô , Tokaiya Gimpei and Taira no Tomomori in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
November 1804: Ichikawa Yaozô III takes the name of Suketakaya Takasuke II at the Ichimuraza, playing 3 roles in the kaomise drama "Mishi Tamadare Yuki no Furusato".
1806: Suketakaya Takasuke II takes the name of Suketakaya Shirogorô.
1808: Suketakaya Shirogorô takes back the name of Suketakaya Takasuke II.
March 1810: Takasuke plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Mashiba Hisayoshi in the drama "Sanmon Gosan no Kiri"; the role of Ishikawa Goemon is played by Matsumoto Kôshirô V.
May 1810: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Tsuruya Namboku IV and Sakurada Jisuke II drama "Ehon Gappô-ga-Tsuji"; Takasuke plays the roles of Kagamiyama Toshiyuki, Takahashi Sezaemon and the cook Sukehachi [casting].
June 1817: last performance in Edo for Takasuke; he plays at the Kiriza in the drama "Hana no Ueno Homare no Ishibumi".
July 1817 ~ November 1818: Takasuke goes on tour.
December 1818: Takasuke suddenly dies while performing in the city of Fukushima.
Comments:
Suketakaya Takasuke II was a talented actor, trained by very different masters, like Segawa Kikunojô II, the best Edo onnagata, or Ichikawa Danjûrô V, the master of aragoto. Wajitsu was his field of excellence.
Suketakaya Takasuke II playing the role of Ishidô Umanojô in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura", which was staged in April 1814 at the Nakamuraza (print made by Utagawa Kunisada I)
Print made by Katsukawa Shunshô in 1774
Print made by Katsukawa Shun'ei (1793~1794)
Print made by Tôshûsai Sharaku in 1794
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1795
Print made by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1796
Print made by Katsukawa Shunkô around 1800
Print made by Utagawa Kunisada in 1814
The Ichikawa Chûsha line of actors
The Sawamura Shirogorô line of actors
The Ichikawa Yaozô line of actors
The Suketakaya Takasuke line of actors