Satirical musical tackles health-care woes in bite-sized chunks

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This article was published 18/04/2024 (540 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

They say laughter is the best medicine. Throw a little song-and-dance into the mix and you get Larry Saves the Canadian Healthcare System — an 11-part web microseries that humorously addresses Canada’s ailing medical system through music and satire.

Sara Kreindler, a professor of community health sciences at the University of Manitoba, spearheads the show, drawing from her extensive research.

“It’s about starting a conversation,” says writer-composer Kreindler, who has a PhD in social psychology. “Whether you’re a health-care provider or just someone curious about the system, I want viewers to come away feeling empowered to hold our elected leaders accountable for addressing the underlying issues.”

Through the character of Larry, played by Winnipeg actor Toby Hughes, viewers embark on a journey navigating the complexities of health-care policy.

Larry, an idealistic young policy analyst, looks for solutions to emergency-room overcrowding, only to uncover deeper layers of systemic dysfunction.

When Larry steps into the ER for the first time, he’s greeted by a remarkable sight: a star performance by a singing nurse, brought to life by Lisa Bell. With captivating flair, she uses her performance to vividly show the chaotic bustle of the ER while explaining the overwhelming reality of dealing with patients whose problems they can’t easily fix.

As Larry’s adventure progresses, he finds himself in peculiar situations, even encountering the ghost of Medicare founder Tommy Douglas, symbolizing the system’s shortcomings.

Later, Larry finds himself in the Wild West, where he meets a cowboy doctor, played by Justin Stadnyk, who bucks traditional medical rules.

Through Larry’s journey, the audience gains insight into the complexities of the system and its challenges

The creative process behind the series was intense but rewarding, Kreindler says. She wrote most of the songs in a couple of weeks, likening the experience to a relentless wave of inspiration.

With funding secured from a granting agency, she collaborated with director Ann Hodges to adapt the script for filming, overcoming challenges such as the onset of the pandemic.

“It was going to originally be a stage play, then COVID happened. And I was like, ‘No. I’ve got this great director. I’ve got this script. I’ve got the funding. We cannot stop. But how are we going to do it?’” Kreindler says.

Despite facing challenges Kreindler says she remained steadfast in her commitment to bringing Larry Saves the Canadian Healthcare System to life.

“I contacted Ann and I said, you know, this poor guy (Larry) spends half of his life in a meeting. What if it’s a Zoom meeting? And she said, OK, but then I want to physicalize those Zoom meetings,” she says.

Kreindler and Hodges then teamed up with the Tripwire Media Group to see how they could visually tell Larry’s story.

Each episode is about five-minutes long and is available on YouTube.

In many ways, Kreindler sees herself reflected in the character of Larry.

“I am Larry, and I was Larry even more before I started my academic position.” she says.

“I spent eight years as an embedded researcher with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, and the greatest compliment I got is when a CEO introduced me as their greatest support and toughest critic. And that’s how I saw my role.”

Like Larry, Kreindler says she was always bringing forward ideas to make the health-care system better.

“I looked at the problems from a place of love. You can see that in the show, it’s a very loving satire. Even the antagonist, it’s not that they’re a bad individual, but it’s the system,” she says.

Through Larry’s misadventures, the series highlights the systemic challenges faced by health-care workers and patients across Canada. From overcrowded emergency rooms to policymakers hesitant to enact meaningful change, Larry Saves the Canadian Healthcare System presents a poignant yet comedic critique of the status quo.

“The musical shows the point that I’d gotten to with having a discussion in this echo chamber with policymakers. It’s nice that the policymakers were meeting with me, but if they’re not talking to the public and we’re not all at the table, this problem isn’t going to get solved,” Kreindler says.

“It’s always going to be just the quick politically expedient solution.”

As the credits roll on the final episode of the show, the audience is left with a sense of urgency — a realization that the issues highlighted in Larry Saves the Canadian Healthcare System are not confined to the realm of fiction but are very much a reality for millions of Canadians.

Kreindler says she hopes people feel inspired to join the conversation and be part of the solution at the end of the show.

The series is set to have its inaugural public screening at the Gargoyle Theatre on April 19 and 20. Following each screening, an interactive panel featuring Kreindler, Hodges and emergency physician Dr. Alecs Chochinov will delve into the show’s themes and the challenges.

“We have a long way to go in fixing our health-care system, but it starts with raising awareness and engaging with the issues,” Kreindler says.