Kawatake Shinshichi

Japanese: 河竹新七 - かわたけしんしち

Kabuki composer.

First World

(1746-95) He trained as a resident playwright at the Nakamura Theatre, and served as its head playwright for a time. He wrote the Tokiwazu joruri piece Shinobugusakoi no utsushie about the famous Tenmei-era (1781-89) actor Nakamura Nakazo I. After serving as a playwright for two or three years, he disappeared from the public eye of the theatrical world, providing plays only to Nakazo behind the scenes. He is also said to have been Nakazo's niece and husband, and to have written Nakazo's famous diaries, including Shukaku Nikki. His second son-in-law was Kawatake Mokuami, a former name. The second Fukumori Kyusuke also used the name for a time, but it is not counted in the lineage.

[Hideo Furuido]

III

(1842-1901) A disciple of Mokuami. Formerly known as Takeshiba Kinsaku. He became a stand-up playwright in 1872 (Meiji 5), and in 1884 was succeeded as the third by his teacher. He wrote for the fifth Onoe Kikugoro. He left behind works such as "Kago Tsurube Sato no Yoizame (A Drunken Awakening from the Flower Quarter)" and "Edo Sodachi Omatsuri Sashichi (Edo Sodachi Omatsuri Sashichi)".

[Hideo Furuido]

[References] | Kabuki

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

歌舞伎(かぶき)作者。

初世

（1746―95）中村座の座付作者として修業、一時頭取(とうどり)も勤めた。天明(てんめい)期（1781～89）の名優初世中村仲蔵について常磐津浄瑠璃(ときわずじょうるり)『垣衣恋写絵(しのぶぐさこいのうつしえ)』を書く。2、3年立(たて)作者を勤めたのち、劇界の表面から姿を消し、仲蔵にのみ作品を陰で提供した。仲蔵の姪(めい)婿ともいわれ、『秀鶴(しゅうかく)日記』をはじめとする仲蔵の有名な日記の代筆者ともいう。2世は河竹黙阿弥(もくあみ)の前名。2世福森久助も一時名のったが、代数に数えない。

［古井戸秀夫］