The Australian entertainment world is mourning the loss of a true icon, Toni Lamond, who has died at the age of 93. With a career spanning an incredible eight decades, Lamond left an indelible mark on stage and screen, becoming a beloved figure for generations.
A North Star Discovered on VHS
For many, Lamond's legacy is personal. Theatre critic Cassie Tongue discovered her not in a grand theatre, but on a VHS tape at her grandmother's house in central west New South Wales. The recording was of a 1994 live ABC broadcast of The Pirates of Penzance, an Essgee production filmed at QPAC in Brisbane.
This riotously Australian adaptation, created by Simon Gallaher and starring Jon English as the Pirate King, was Tongue's first, dizzying introduction to professional theatre. At its heart was Toni Lamond, playing Ruth, the pirate maid-of-all-work.
"She was its sun and moon, holding it all together and keeping its heart big, warm and generous," Tongue writes. Lamond's masterful control, twinkly charm, and effortless handling of complex wordplay in numbers like When Frederic Was a Little Lad felt like a revelation.
A Career That Defined Australian Entertainment
Lamond's professional journey was a mirror to Australia's own entertainment history. She was a vaudevillian star on the famed Tivoli circuit, a leading lady in major musicals like Anything Goes and Gypsy, and a familiar face on television in shows like Number 96 and countless variety programmes, even hosting her own.
Her performance in that Pirates of Penzance production became a "north star" for Tongue's career as a critic. It taught her to value bold artistic swings, precision, and the rare magic of a cast operating at the peak of their powers, all delivered with lashings of joy.
A Legacy of Light and Laughter
Years later, Tongue finally saw Lamond perform live at the Sydney Cabaret Festival in 2019. The experience was profoundly moving. "There she was: funny, starry, powerful, holding us all up with her voice and presence," she recalls.
While Lamond's physical presence is now gone, her artistic spirit endures. Her son, performer Tony Sheldon, has curated an incredible digital archive on YouTube, allowing future audiences to discover her formidable talent and humour.
For Cassie Tongue and countless others, Toni Lamond remains a vibrant, essential link in the chain of Australian performance. She embodied the persistent power of theatre to gather people in the dark and, through extraordinary talent, transform shared joys and sorrows into something magical and enduring.
