Nick Page (Neighbours)

Nick Page
Neighbours character
Portrayed by	Mark Stevens
Introduced by	Don Battye
Duration	1988–1990
First appearance	22 July 1988
Last appearance	14 March 1990
Classification	Former, regular
Profile
Home	London
Occupation	Erinsborough High Student (1988-90) Artist

Nick Page is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Mark Stevens. He debuted on-screen in the episode airing on 22 July 1988 and departed the serial in 1990.

Casting

Mark Stevens was cast as Nick Page in 1988 ahead of 40 other teens who auditioned for the role. Stevens, 16 at the time, was already a familiar face on Australian television as a regular performer on Young Talent Time for the past three years.^[1]

Storylines

Background

Nick was raised in Erinsborough by his grandmother, after being orphaned at age 8 and had a relatively normal life until his grandmother began suffering from Alzheimer's and Nick was forced to care for her and look after himself as well. Nick began to slide off the rails, taking his anger out on the world.

1988–1990

Nick is first seen as the culprit who graffities Jim Robinson's (Alan Dale) fence at his workshop. When Henry Ramsay (Craig McLachlan) spots Nick, he runs off. A week later, Henry and Jim's nephew, Todd Landers (Kristian Schmid) set a trap to catch Nick, which works when he tries to spray the fence again. After being caught, Nick pleads with Jim not to phone the police as it would kill his grandmother. Jim's mother-in-law, Helen Daniels (Anne Haddy) decides to give Nick the benefit of the doubt and suggests that he paint over his handiwork. Nick rejects Helen's offer as art classes and sees it as form of charity but eventually relents. When Nick accepts Helen's offer of a room at Number 26, Jim and Todd are both initially resistant but eventually grow to accept Nick and support him after his grandmother dies.

Nick begins a romance with newly-arrived Sharon Davies (Jessica Muschamp) and they begin dating much to the chagrin of Sharon's stern aunt Edie Chubb (Irene Inescort). On the night of the school dance, Nick finds himself in a brawl with Bruce Zadro (Myles Collins), who hassles Sharon. This results in Nick getting a black eye. Nick stands trial for a prior graffiti offence the following day and the magistrate spots his black eye. Helen and Sharon are quick to defend him and Nick is sentenced to 30 hours Community Service. When Sharon burns the Coffee Shop down after discarding a cigarrette, Nick agrees to take the blame. Sharon later confesses to Harold Bishop (Ian Smith) that she was the culprit.

Nick finds himself afoul of the law once again when he tries to stop Todd and Skinner (Mat Stevenson), a criminal who he met on the streets, from committing a raid on a warehouse, which results in Nick's arrest. Todd confesses that Skinner was the real criminal and Nick is freed. When Skinner menaces Todd and his sister Katie (Sally Jensen), Nick is quick to help apprehend him when he tries to flee.

Nick faces more problems when Zadro reappears and frames him for spray-painting Principal Kenneth Muir's (Roger Boyce) car and the school, resulting in expulsion for Nick. After a cunning plan by Sharon to extract a confession from Zadro, which is heard over the PA system, Muir reinstates Nick at Erinsborough High. Nick, however refuses to go back and drops out. Later, when Hilary Robinson (who Edie asked to keep an eye on Sharon) bans Nick from seeing Sharon, the couple run away from Erinsborough and begin work on a farm. When Sharon fights with the farmer's daughter, they are sacked and begin hitch-hiking back to Erinsborough. While hitching a lift, Nick comes face to face with Skinner, who pushes Nick out of the car and drives away with Sharon.

After arriving home, Nick tries to warn Sharon about Skinner who she begins dating. After Skinner attempts to force himself on Sharon's older sister, Bronwyn (Rachel Friend), Sharon realizes Nick is right. Nick and Sharon split up later and remain friends. Hilary's son, Matt (Ashley Paske) arrives from Adelaide and joins Nick and Sharon in their antics.

Nick suffers a fall one afternoon and hits his head on the side of the pool at Number 30. Shortly after, He begins experiencing aggressive moods swings. When Jim confronts him about his behavior he collapses and is diagnosed with meningitis caused by the skull fracture. Soon after, Nick begins dating Lucy (Sasha Close), Jim's daughter who arrives home from boarding school for the holidays. Jim is unimpressed when he finds out that Nick and Lucy are at The Waterhole as they are underage. Nick and Lucy's relationship eventually fizzles out when she goes back to boarding school.

In early 1990, Nick receives a chance to take up an art scholarship in London and is successful. Before leaving, He presents paintings for the people who mean the most to him (Jim, Beverly, Helen and Sharon). Several months after settling in London, Nick corresponds with Helen via postcard telling her about how he has fallen in love with an English girl and his art comes second.

Reception

In Neighbours: The Official Annual 1991, John McCready and Nicola Furlong said "The love lives of those such as Nick Page and Sharon Davies have made the programme perhaps the most popular viewing for teenagers around the world."^[2]

References

1. ^ Brown, David (18 June 1988). "YTT Star Makes His Mark On Neighbours". TV Week. http://www.perfectblend.net/reference/articles/80/ytt.html. Retrieved 7 June 2010. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ McCready, John; Furlong, Nicola (1990). Neighbours: The Official Annual 1991. Hamlyn. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-600-57045-5.