Cirrus@Austlit

Adapted by Helen Davis from her own novel, For So Little; The Story of a Crime, (1890), A Life Policy similarly draws on the real life trial of New Zealander, Thomas Hall, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1886 for the murder of his father-in-law. He later escaped the death penalty after his conviction was overturned on a technicality. Hall nevertheless remained in prison until 1907 after being found guilty of the attempted murder (by poison) of his wife.

Although the melodrama's 1895 London debut reportedly met with a good reception, one critic suggested that this was also due to a very good cast. Several newspapers later reported that the author had received an offer from Palmer's Theatre, New York, to have the work staged there (see for example, The Press, New Zealand 9 May 1895, 2).