Exclusive: Stefanie Jones on coming full circle in Les Misérables and making her West End debut

Australian musical theatre star Stefanie Jones is returning to the show that launched her career as she prepares to make her West End debut as Fantine in Les Misérables. She speaks exclusively to FANZA about a role that once felt ‘probably out of reach’, building a career between Australia and the UK, and her advice for Australian performers hoping to make the move.

For Australian performer Stefanie Jones, stepping onto the West End stage as Fantine in Les Misérables will mark an extraordinary full-circle moment.

Jones, who joins the long-running production at London’s Sondheim Theatre from 7 September, made her professional debut as a child playing Young Éponine in the 10th Anniversary Tour of Les Misérables in Australia.

It was the production that ignited her love of performing – and, years later, she is returning to the musical for her West End debut.

The role follows Jones’s acclaimed performances as Mary Poppins, first in Australia – where she won a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Leading Performance in a Musical – and later on the UK and Ireland tour.

Ahead of her first performance as Fantine, FANZA caught up with Stefanie about returning to Les Misérables, what she has discovered about working in Britain, and the enduring creative connection between the Australian and UK theatre industries.

Fantine is one of musical theatre’s most famous roles. What particularly interested you about her, and what do you hope to bring to the role?

Les Misérables has been extremely close to my heart since I was very young. My introduction to theatre and my first professional job was in the 10th Anniversary Tour of Les Mis in Australia, playing Young Éponine.

With Les Mis being the show that ignited my love for performing, I’ve always hoped to have the chance to revisit it.

It’s a show that has remained the most beloved musical of all time because the characters are deeply relatable to its audiences. Fantine is the epitome of strength, love and hope in spite of her devastating circumstances.

As an actor there’s so much to mine in her and, as a vocalist, having the chance to sing one of the most iconic songs within the musical theatre canon is such an honour.

I can already tell playing Fantine will be a career highlight in that the more you put in, the more and more it will give back.

What does it mean to you to perform in the West End?

I am incredibly humbled and equally proud to be making my West End debut at this point in my career.

There have been times where I’ve dreamed of such an opportunity, and there have been even more times I’ve felt it’s probably out of reach.

For me, this is the culmination of lots of hard work meeting the right moment. I feel ready to be in this moment and lucky to be supported by our Australian creative industry.

You previously played Mary Poppins both in Australia and on the UK and Ireland tour. How has making the move from performing in Australia to building a career in the UK shaped you as a performer?

Having the chance to continue with Mary Poppins was an exciting opportunity both for my career and for my life.

I love to travel as well as stretch and challenge myself, so accepting the offer to tour Mary Poppins again was extremely rewarding.

It’s never an easy transition making an overseas move whilst working in an industry as precarious as the arts, so I certainly felt – and still feel – extremely grateful to have been afforded a soft landing with the security of a theatre contract.

I now have a broader perspective of the arts industry from both sides of the world and each one informs my knowledge of the other.

Bringing together all those new and old experiences has helped me become a more versatile and curious performer.

What have you found distinctive about working in the British theatre industry compared with Australia – whether creatively, culturally or in terms of the opportunities available to performers?

The biggest and most obvious difference is the scale of the industry in London and the UK compared to Australia.

With scale comes more variety, greater opportunity but also a proportionate amount of competition.

Creatively, I’ve found the British industry to be incredibly collaborative. There’s a real emphasis on bringing your own ideas and interpretation to the work whilst also being very responsive to the people you’re working with.

Theatre in the UK is steeped in history and tradition, but there’s also a willingness to keep developing and trying new things.

Being exposed to so many varied types of work and styles of shows has very much broadened my understanding of what a career in theatre can look like.

There has always been a strong flow of Australian performers between the Australian and British stages. How important do you think that creative relationship between the two countries is, and have you felt part of an Australian theatre community while working here?

It never ceases to amaze me how many times I hear an Australian accent in a day.

Australia and the UK have a particularly strong connection when it comes to the arts and I credit that partly to our similar sensibility and sense of humour.

Often, Australians seek a career in the UK to feel truly amongst its busy artistic culture, while many Brits jump at the opportunity to do a professional theatre show in Australia so they can experience our natural beauties and laid-back lifestyle. It’s that ease of ‘back and forth’ that continues to enrich both industries.

Not surprisingly, Aussies are always embracing Aussies. Here, there’s a sense of community and wealth of support regardless of whether you had pre-existing relationships from home or not.

There’s a constant sharing of knowledge and opening doors where we can for one another because we can recognise what we all have in common – an unwavering passion for our craft and the need to pursue it at all costs and to the fullest.

What advice would you give to Australian performers hoping to establish themselves in the UK, particularly those looking towards theatre?

Training in Australia and working professionally in the Australian theatre industry for 12 years gave me such a strong foundation, and I’m incredibly proud of the performer I became whilst working in Australia.

Australian artists are extremely driven and hungry to see and do good work, and that translates very clearly in the UK. Our reputation precedes us because we are incredibly hard workers and very passionate artists.

Don’t be afraid to connect with people any way you can – ask for help, ask for advice, ask for introductions.

The industry here may be bigger than at home, but it still runs primarily on recommendations, suggestions and remembering people.

So – audition for everything, research your casting directors, writers, directors, choreographers and producers, go to good classes and absorb as much art as you can!

Stefanie Jones joins Les Misérables as Fantine at the Sondheim Theatre from Monday 7 September 2026.

Find out more and book tickets via FANZA’s Les Misérables event page.

Image credit: Marnya Rothe Photography