The production of Pauline was originally produced in 1851. Boucicault claims that the play was originally produced for Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean, actors in the production. However, it is unknown if this was truly the case. Nonetheless, the play was very well received when it debuted. Reviews poured in at the mastery of the Kean’s performances, which lent another level of drama and terror to the already effective script. In 1879, Boucicault would rework Pauline into another work, known as Spell-bound. However, Spell-bound was not well received by critics. Unlike the earlier part of his career, when the themes of Pauline were effective with audiences, the reviews of Spell-bound only reinforced a growing feeling that Boucicault was out of fashion as a dramatist.