“This project brings numbers to life. By putting science on stage, we aim to spark a shared, heartfelt understanding of the challenges faced in our regions.”
- Dr Richard Fleet.
“Urgences Rurales 360 is a show, but above all it’s an experience. You laugh, you think, you’re moved—and most importantly, you take part.”
- Patrick Léonard, metteur en scène.
“With Arts-Based Knowledge Transfer (ABKT), we go beyond reports and conferences. We harness the power of the arts to bring research to life in new ways—making it tangible and accessible, so it sparks real conversations and concrete change,”
- Dre Julie Théberge.
On tour across Quebec in October 2025
What if a circus show could change the way we see the healthcare system? That’s the bold challenge of Urgences Rurales 360 (UR360), a one-of-a-kind docu-circus in Quebec that blends scientific research, live performance, and citizen participation.
Guided by an offbeat narrator and three circus accomplices, the show draws inspiration from an extensive study led by Dr. Richard Fleet and his team on the reality of rural emergency care. Together, the artists dive into real-life cases, embody characters, and use their art to reveal the humanity behind the raw data.
Through circus, testimonies, and striking visual projections, the piece highlights the challenges and resilience of communities outside major urban centers, while paying tribute to healthcare workers. A true meeting of science and stage, Urgences Rurales 360 breaks away from traditional formats to become a driver of social change.
Each performance is tailored to the host community. Audience reactions are gathered and analyzed to measure how the experience shifts perceptions of healthcare in rural areas. Here, spectators are not just witnesses—they become agents of change.
Executive Producer:
The 7 Fingers
Co-Producers:
HUPR – Research Center on Human Potential (École Nationale de Cirque)
Université Laval
The 7 Fingers
Concept, Texts and Narration:
Patrick Léonard
under the supervision of the research team
Research Team
Rural Medicine Innovation Hub
Richard Fleet, MD, PhD, CCFP(EM), MMGt
Principal Investigator – Audace Plus Project, Amplitude UR360 component
Emergency Physician and Psychologist
Full Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval
Co-Director, Primary Care Organization Division, VITAM – Research Center on Sustainable Health
Founding Director, Rural Medicine Innovation Hub and Living Lab Charlevoix
Guilherme Bresciani – Scientific Coordinator
Catherine Larouche
Anne-Fay Johnston – Research Intern
Mathieu Fortin – Research Professional and Multimedia Production Manager
HUPR – Research Center on Human Potential (École Nationale de Cirque)
Patrice Aubertin – Director, Co-Investigator Audace+
Julie Théberge – Associate Researcher in Artistic Methodologies and Collaborative Practices
Original Cast
Anne-Fay Audet Johnston, Charlotte Fallu, Patrick Léonard, Robert Cookson
Video Design: ANORAK STUDIO
Mathieu Fortin (Direction, Illustrations, Design)
François Mercier (Animations)
Props Design: Stéphane Beauchet
Costume Design: Chloé Alain-Gendreau
Assistant Costume Designer: Michèle Gagné
Lighting Design: Gabriel Fournier-El Ayachi
Sound Design and Musical Arrangements: Antoine Seychal
The 7 Fingers Production Team:
Head of Development: Kevin Bissonnette
Technical Director: Simon Carrière-Legris
Production Coordinator and Assistant to the Artistic Direction: Clémence Montambault
Stage Manager: Karine Perron
Rigger: Stéphane Beauchet
Lighting Operator: Gabriel Fournier-El Ayachi
Sound Operator: Didier Bergeron
Video Operator: Simon Carrière-Legris
Filming Team: Obvious C
Created and produced in collaboration with and supported by
The Research and Innovation Chair in Emergency Medicine, Université Laval–Dessercom–CISSS-Chaudière-Appalaches, the Fonds de recherche du Québec through the Audace program, CRITAC/ÉNC, and The 7 Fingers.
