Stage names:

Matsumoto Tomojûrô II
Matsumoto Shinkurô

Guild: Iseya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Poetry name: Kitô

Existence: dates unknown

Connection:

Master: Matsumoto Tomojûrô I

Career:

Before 1753: he starts his career as a disciple of Matsumoto Tomojûrô I, who gives him the name of Matsumoto Shinkurô. He learns the art of acting in travelling troupes.

November 1753: Matsumoto Shinkurô takes the name of Matsumoto Tomojûrô II at Miyako Handayû's theater, performing as a katakiyaku in the kaomise drama "Hade Musume Bandachi Yakata", which is produced by Yamashita Ugenta II. This is his first stage appearance in ôshibai.

Fall 1765: Tomojûrô goes to Edo.

November 1765: Tomojûrô plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Furitsumu Hana Nidai Genji".

January 1766: Tomojûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is one little stroke above jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent).

November 1766: Tomojûrô plays at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Tsuno Moji Izu no Irifune", which celebrates the shûmei of Ichikawa Somegorô and Bandô Mitsugorô I.

January 1767: Tomojûrô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent).

Fall 1767: Tomojûrô goes back to Kyôto.

November 1767: Tomojûrô plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Masaki Danjô in the kaomise drama "Daikokuten", which is produced by Onoe Montarô and Onoe Kumesuke.

January 1768: Tomojûrô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent).

End of the 1760s ~ Middle of the 1770s: Tomojûrô performs mainly in travelling troupes. He is back in Kyôto in Fall 1776.

November 1776: Tomojûrô plays the roles of Togashi Saemon and Kajiwara Heizô Kagetoki in the kaomise drama "Oso Uji Yodo no Irifune", which is produced in Kyôto by Matsuyama Kogenji.

January 1777: premiere at the Kitagawa no Shibai of the drama "Keisei Tonoi Zakura", whose plot is very close to Nagawa Kamesuke I's drama "Igagoe Norikake Gappa"; Tomojûrô plays the role of Kondô Nomorinosuke [casting]. This is his last recorded stage appearance and his last rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, is jô-jô-hankichi (superior - superior - half excellent).

Comments:

Matsumoto Tomojûrô II was active from the 1750s to the 1770s. He was a Kamigata actor specialized in katakiyaku/jitsuaku roles and spent his career either on Kyôto stages or in travelling troupes. He was not officially a dôkegata but excelled in comic scenes or parody of serious scenes.

The actors Matsumoto Tomojûrô II (left) and Ôtani Hirohachi I (right) performing in November 1760 in Kyôto in the kaomise drama "Kiku Nagashi Kokka Taiheiki"