It was a mighty performance, his fans said. David Trimble, fighting for his political life, full of passion and conviction, surrounded by Egyptian mummies. The stage at the Waterfront was set for the Polish State Opera's performance of Verdi's Aida, a compelling tale of love, jealousy and betrayal.
Delegates at the Ulster Unionist Council meeting tried hard to ignore the backdrop but it was difficult. "It all looks very strange - Trimble, the mummies and there, in the middle of it, the Union Jack," remarked a delegate.
The DUP thought the entertainment was of a lower level. "It's more like Are You Being Served? said Ian Paisley jnr. "Trimble is the dodgy salesman, desperate for a sale. His supporters are the lowly shop assistants, measuring up the RUC for new uniforms, and the IRA prisoners are running around the shop floor shouting `I'm free!' "
Trimble might have been the star of the show, but there was a strong support role for John Taylor, who arrived fresh from a trip to the Far East to announce he was supporting his party leader.
He denied that his departure, and silence over recent days on his voting intentions, had been designed to create intrigue. He had been in touch regularly with Trimble "by telephone, Internet and all that".
His support caused ripples of relief in the Yes camp. The big question was how many delegates he would bring with him. "The only weight John carries is round his waist," said a No campaigner dismissively.
Jeffrey Donaldson wasn't writing off the UUP deputy leader but he didn't look impressed. He was "somewhat surprised" by Mr Taylor's change of heart. There had been no recent developments to merit it. "I'm somewhat at a loss to know what John means but there we go."
Anti-agreement activists picketing the meeting were indulging in some street theatre. They decorated a statute outside the Waterfront of a shepherd and his sheep. A placard on the shepherd's neck said "IRA/Sinn Fein" and the sheep bore name tags: Trimble, Empey, Maginnis and Taylor.
A group of pro-agreement campaigners waved copies of the Lost Lives book, detailing the victims of the Troubles.
"David Trimble, he's our man! If he can't do it, no one can," they shouted.
Then there was half-an-hour of "We shall not, we shall not be moved!"
"Why don't you move?" shouted a No campaigner. "Trimble does it all the time."
Three hours later, the vote was taken. It was always going to be close. The press, who were barred from the debate, tried to gauge what way it would go by the level of applause for different speakers.
In the end, Trimble prevailed by 56 votes. He looked happier than he has in months. He was positively beaming. The debate had been "vigorous but civilised, very much within the tradition of our party", he said.
The UUP had done its bit, Sinn Fein had to reciprocate and they had a long way to go. "As far as democracy is concerned, these folk ain't house-trained yet."
The assembled media were astounded by the remark. "How do you propose to housetrain Martin McGuinness?" one journalist asked. "Does implying Sinn Fein are dogs aid an inclusive settlement?" asked another.
If there was cursing at television sets from Ballymurphy to the Bogside, Trimble wasn't too popular with the loyalist rank and file outside the Waterfront either.
"Traitor! Turncoat! Scumbag!" they shouted as he left. Then they started singing to the tune of The Drunken Sailor:
What shall we do with the traitor Trimble
What shall we do with the traitor Trimble
What shall we do with the traitor Tirmble
Early in the morning?
Burn! Burn! Burn! the traitor . . . .