Former Prime Minister Tony Blair lent his considerable political weight to the Labour Party's election campaign on Tuesday 30th March, in a soundbite-laden speech reminiscent of his heyday.
It's difficult not to marvel at Tony Blair's mastery of the public performance. On occasions, the former premier can appear as much a great thespian as he was once a political leader, to such an extent that his words are sometimes lost in a flurry of dramatic hand gestures and thought-provoking rhetorical questions.
Indeed, Tuesday's speech in his former constituency of Sedgefield, County Durham, was very much in the Shakespearean soliloquy mould - pausing just long enough between statements to emphasise his dramatic illusion, but never allowing the attention of his audience to drift.
The performance clearly illustrated why David Cameron is so eager to adopt a Blairite charm, whether the Tory leader realises it or not. One can only hope that Mssrs Cameron and Osborne were paying attention to the lesson.
To Mr Blair's credit, there were few references to Cameron himself, though this could of course be considered a conscious decision to deny him the publicity. Instead the bulk of his speech focussed not on Conservative weaknesses, but on Labour's economic strengths, and the merits of Gordon Brown as a shrewd leader in difficult times.
"When Gordon sought to bring the world together to act in the financial crisis, it came naturally", he said. "He understands it."
It must be difficult for members of the Labour party to be reminded of the way such charmismatic leadership felt - certainly there will be many who crave the powerful rhetoric which Blair appears to eminate so naturally.
But, as ever, the speech retained an enigmatic quality, which for critics will reaffirm the former PM's position as the King of Spin.
At times the message becomes hazy, shrouded in poetic prose and lingering soundbites designed to detract attention away from a largely tedious topic. Indeed, each subsection of the speech was signed off with a clever quip, which perhaps served to sweeten an otherwise bitter reality.
"In uncertain times, there is a lot to be said for certain leadership", ended one such topic, in a fashion which felt more than a little contrived.
Ultimately, Tuesday's address cannot have done Mr Brown's campaign any harm, and despite Blair's waining popularity with the post-Iraq electorate, his political prominence could prove charming to marginal voters.
Sadly, however, Blair's performance also reminded voters of what New Labour might have been, and a handful of protesters outside Sedgfield's Trimdon Labour Club offered a small insight into the underwhelming aftermath of Mr Blair's grand vision.
Bill, Anfield around 2 years, 1 month ago