“He opened up his doors to anybody, opened up his home, opened up his heart, and that’s the legacy that he’s leaving behind,” Luke Caroll told ‘The Point’.
“He looked after you, you know, he looks after a lot of the young people who are coming through the industry, making sure that they’re OK.”
David Page, an award-winning performer, composer, singer and musician, passed away over the weekend at the age of 55, leaving the Indigenous community and wider Australia to come to terms with his loss.
Luke says he entertained crowds across the country and around the world. “He knew what to do, he knew how to do it properly, and he was great at it.”
THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF DAVID PAGE
A tribute to a 'shining Indigenous star'
But David also knew how to entertain off stage, Luke adds.
He was “charismatic, happy, always the life of the party, making sure everyone was having a good time.
“His passion for life, the way he loved people and entertaining people, that’s what we’re going to miss a lot.”
Luke Carroll met David in 2001 during a Sydney Theatre Company production of The Cherry Pickers by Kevin Gilbert.
They went on to work on productions such as the 2009 feature film Stone Brothers to Queensland Theatre Company's 2015 Black Diggers, a play by Wesley Enoch that shed light on the involvement of Indigenous people in the wars that Australia fought.
It was while they were touring The Cherry Pickers for six weeks in England that they became close, and David took Luke “under his wing”.
“We became brothers,” he recalls.
Luke remembers one of his favourite memories of David was during that tour when he, David and cast members such as Elaine Crombie and George Bostock, went to karaoke at a bar in Manchester and David just kept singing – ‘Proud Mary’ by Tina Turner was the stand out.
“That’s his favourite song,” Luke says. “I‘m sure when I hear that over the coming years I’ll remember him each and every time.
“We love him dearly and we always will. We’ll never forget David, he’s made such an impact to this industry and to this country, his spirit will live on most definitely.”
Luke encourages anyone who may be experiencing grief at this time to “reach out”.
“You’re not in this world alone, you’re loved, everybody is loved.
"There’s no problem too difficult to overcome.”
NITV has followed the advice and protocols requested by the family in the reporting of the story. Images of David have been withheld at their request.
If you would like support you can contact:
The Sane Helpline on 1800 187 263.
Lifeline on 131 114.
or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.
Source: The Point
