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Flowers in the Attic: A Stage Play
The only official stage play of V.C. Andrews’s enduring classic of forbidden love—adapted by Andrew Neiderman (The Devil’s Advocate). Experience in this new format the original story that captured the world’s imagination and earned V.C. Andrews a fiercely devoted readership.
At the top of the stairs there are four secrets hidden. Blond, beautiful, innocent, and struggling to stay alive . . .
They were a perfect family, golden and carefree—until a heartbreaking tragedy shattered their happiness. Now, for the sake of an inheritance that will ensure their future, the children must be hidden away out of sight, as if they never existed. Kept on the top floor of their grandmotherds vast mansion, their loving mother assures them it will be just for a little while. But as brutal days swell into agonizing months and years, Cathy, Chris, and twins Cory and Carrie, realize their survival is at the mercy of their cruel and superstitious grandmother . . . and this cramped and helpless world may be the only one they ever know.
Book One of the Dollanganger series, the sequels include Petals in the Wind, If There Be Thorns, Seeds of Yesterday, and Garden of Shadows. Then experience the attic from Christopher’s point of view in Christopher’s Diary: Secrets of Foxworth and Christopher’s Diary: Echoes of Dollanganger.
At the top of the stairs there are four secrets hidden. Blond, beautiful, innocent, and struggling to stay alive . . .
They were a perfect family, golden and carefree—until a heartbreaking tragedy shattered their happiness. Now, for the sake of an inheritance that will ensure their future, the children must be hidden away out of sight, as if they never existed. Kept on the top floor of their grandmotherds vast mansion, their loving mother assures them it will be just for a little while. But as brutal days swell into agonizing months and years, Cathy, Chris, and twins Cory and Carrie, realize their survival is at the mercy of their cruel and superstitious grandmother . . . and this cramped and helpless world may be the only one they ever know.
Book One of the Dollanganger series, the sequels include Petals in the Wind, If There Be Thorns, Seeds of Yesterday, and Garden of Shadows. Then experience the attic from Christopher’s point of view in Christopher’s Diary: Secrets of Foxworth and Christopher’s Diary: Echoes of Dollanganger.
- GenresPlays
411 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2014
About the author
V.C. Andrews
369 books9,419 followersBooks published under the following names - Virginia Andrews, V. Andrews, Virginia C. Andrews & V.C. Endrius. Books since her death ghost written by Andrew Neiderman, but still attributed to the V.C. Andrews name
Virginia Cleo Andrews (born Cleo Virginia Andrews) was born June 6, 1923 in Portsmouth, Virginia. The youngest child and the only daughter of William Henry Andrews, a career navy man who opened a tool-and-die business after retirement, and Lillian Lilnora Parker Andrews, a telephone operator. She spent her happy childhood years in Portsmouth, Virginia, living briefly in Rochester, New York. The Andrews family returned to Portsmouth while Virginia was in high school.
While a teenager, Virginia suffered a tragic accident, falling down the stairs at her school and incurred severe back injuries. Arthritis and a failed spinal surgical procedure forced her to spend most of her life on crutches or in a wheelchair.
Virginia excelled in school and, at fifteen, won a scholarship for writing a parody of Tennyson's Idylls of the King. She proudly earned her diploma from Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth. After graduation, she nurtured her artistic talent by completing a four-year correspondence art course while living at home with her family.
After William Andrews died in the late 1960s, Virginia helped to support herself and her mother through her extremely successful career as a commercial artist, portrait painter, and fashion illustrator.
Frustrated with the lack of creative satisfaction that her work provided, Virginia sought creative release through writing, which she did in secret. In 1972, she completed her first novel, The Gods of the Green Mountain [sic], a science-fantasy story. It was never published. Between 1972 and 1979, she wrote nine novels and twenty short stories, of which only one was published. "I Slept with My Uncle on My Wedding Night", a short fiction piece, was published in a pulp confession magazine.
Promise gleamed over the horizon for Virginia when she submitted a 290,000-word novel, The Obsessed, to a publishing company. She was told that the story had potential, but needed to be trimmed and spiced up a bit. She drafted a new outline in a single night and added "unspeakable things my mother didn't want me to write about." The ninety-eight-page revision was re-titled Flowers in the Attic and she was paid a $7,500 advance. Her new-generation Gothic novel reached the bestseller lists a mere two weeks after its 1979 paperback publication by Pocket Books.
Petals on the Wind, her sequel to Flowers, was published the next year, earning Virginia a $35,000 advance. The second book remained on the New York Times bestseller list for an unbelievable nineteen weeks (Flowers also returned to the list). These first two novels alone sold over seven million copies in only two years. The third novel of the Dollanganger series, If There Be Thorns, was released in 1981, bringing Virginia a $75,000 advance. It reached No. 2 on many bestseller lists within its first two weeks.
Taking a break from the chronicles of Chris and Cathy Dollanganger, Virginia published her one, and only, stand-alone novel, My Sweet Audrina, in 1982. The book welcomed an immediate success, topping the sales figures of her previous novels. Two years later, a fourth Dollanganger novel was released, Seeds of Yesterday. According to the New York Times, Seeds was the best-selling fiction paperback novel of 1984. Also in 1984, V.C. Andrews was named "Professional Woman of the Year" by the city of Norfolk, Virginia.
Upon Andrews's death in 1986, two final novels—Garden of Shadows and Fallen Hearts—were published. These two novels are considered the last to bear the "V.C. Andrews" name and to be almost completely written by
Virginia Cleo Andrews (born Cleo Virginia Andrews) was born June 6, 1923 in Portsmouth, Virginia. The youngest child and the only daughter of William Henry Andrews, a career navy man who opened a tool-and-die business after retirement, and Lillian Lilnora Parker Andrews, a telephone operator. She spent her happy childhood years in Portsmouth, Virginia, living briefly in Rochester, New York. The Andrews family returned to Portsmouth while Virginia was in high school.
While a teenager, Virginia suffered a tragic accident, falling down the stairs at her school and incurred severe back injuries. Arthritis and a failed spinal surgical procedure forced her to spend most of her life on crutches or in a wheelchair.
Virginia excelled in school and, at fifteen, won a scholarship for writing a parody of Tennyson's Idylls of the King. She proudly earned her diploma from Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth. After graduation, she nurtured her artistic talent by completing a four-year correspondence art course while living at home with her family.
After William Andrews died in the late 1960s, Virginia helped to support herself and her mother through her extremely successful career as a commercial artist, portrait painter, and fashion illustrator.
Frustrated with the lack of creative satisfaction that her work provided, Virginia sought creative release through writing, which she did in secret. In 1972, she completed her first novel, The Gods of the Green Mountain [sic], a science-fantasy story. It was never published. Between 1972 and 1979, she wrote nine novels and twenty short stories, of which only one was published. "I Slept with My Uncle on My Wedding Night", a short fiction piece, was published in a pulp confession magazine.
Promise gleamed over the horizon for Virginia when she submitted a 290,000-word novel, The Obsessed, to a publishing company. She was told that the story had potential, but needed to be trimmed and spiced up a bit. She drafted a new outline in a single night and added "unspeakable things my mother didn't want me to write about." The ninety-eight-page revision was re-titled Flowers in the Attic and she was paid a $7,500 advance. Her new-generation Gothic novel reached the bestseller lists a mere two weeks after its 1979 paperback publication by Pocket Books.
Petals on the Wind, her sequel to Flowers, was published the next year, earning Virginia a $35,000 advance. The second book remained on the New York Times bestseller list for an unbelievable nineteen weeks (Flowers also returned to the list). These first two novels alone sold over seven million copies in only two years. The third novel of the Dollanganger series, If There Be Thorns, was released in 1981, bringing Virginia a $75,000 advance. It reached No. 2 on many bestseller lists within its first two weeks.
Taking a break from the chronicles of Chris and Cathy Dollanganger, Virginia published her one, and only, stand-alone novel, My Sweet Audrina, in 1982. The book welcomed an immediate success, topping the sales figures of her previous novels. Two years later, a fourth Dollanganger novel was released, Seeds of Yesterday. According to the New York Times, Seeds was the best-selling fiction paperback novel of 1984. Also in 1984, V.C. Andrews was named "Professional Woman of the Year" by the city of Norfolk, Virginia.
Upon Andrews's death in 1986, two final novels—Garden of Shadows and Fallen Hearts—were published. These two novels are considered the last to bear the "V.C. Andrews" name and to be almost completely written by
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 9, 2015
I heard about this in passing one day and thought it sounded interesting. A stage play written by the ghostwriter, putting the kids in modern times this time around. As it was fairly cheap I decided to give it a try. I can honestly say it was awful. The story was mostly the same, dad dies, mother locks them up in the attic. The play goes between older Cathy narrating to showing scenes from the attic. In this version the children are more mouthy, swear at each other and their mother, who is far too friendly and kind to be the distant Corrine of the book. She is furious that Cathy has taken over as mother to the twins. One good thing Cathy actually cuts her hair rather than let the twins starve, which I have to admit was an improvement to the book, the one and only. I imagine the tar thing would be way to complicated to do in a play anyway. They drink wine at the Christmas party, and Cathy begins writing what will be Flowers in the Attic on the laptop their mother gave them, which of course has no internet connection. Olivia also appears to be too friendly and not even close to the frightening evil grandmother who made their life hell. The final blow came with how the relationship between Cathy and Chris progressed. While I'm kind of sorry I read this, it was cheap and I frankly got what I paid for.
July 3, 2017
Quite honestly an insult to a) the original material and b) stage plays. God knows how I managed to finish it.
January 31, 2019
1/5
Oooh girl, not good. Not good at all.
This, by the way, is not saying I'm hating on the actual Flowers in the Attic. I love that version, and I thought that I'd try this out too because it was only .99 cents on Amazon, and was like, why not? I have a dollar for free credit.
I regret my purchase...
First off, it's modernized. Why? I think it was quite iconic being in the 60s because at the point, being a trophy wife was a very typical thing, waiting for the money rather than making it your own. Like there was the same scene though about her "computer training", like there are no classes for that anymore. Like it's not in demand like it was in the 60s.
Like we didn't need the laptop aspect because it gave no actual improvements other than being modernized. They changed the ages, so do we assume they leave the attic in the same year since that's the age they escape in book? Idfk. And then the wine scene, like no. Pouring wine in wine glasses like youre adults, like no thank you. It was so cringy. Like why would she bring wine? I understand like a sparkling cider or something, but a WHOLE bottle of wine for 2 kids? Her two kids?
Second, why was Chris and Cathy so sexual from the beginning? Like hell no, it was so over sexualized and I'm like what actual brother and sister would do this, like stripping to their underwear (at age 15!) and dancing for their sibling? especially when being in that room for only--how long, months or so? (it never gave an actual time period of how long they stayed in the attic) Like it was quick and gross.
Third, everything was messed up. Grandmother would have never given the kids sweets. And everything just seemed way not true to the story with how quick it was told and what scenes they were taking out and replacing (like the tar scene, or the kiss between Bart and Cathy, or just about anything else, for trash.)
This play script is actual trash, and usually I'm fine with adaptions, I liked the movies, the books (not the diaries, but the originals), it would be cool to even see a tv show or something that went even further with the attic stories, like adding to the three years instead of doing all kind of jumps to different times of year. But this was horrible, and I know this is supposed to be adaptable for stage, but no real fan would find this good. Because it tears down all the good and adds filth.
Oooh girl, not good. Not good at all.
This, by the way, is not saying I'm hating on the actual Flowers in the Attic. I love that version, and I thought that I'd try this out too because it was only .99 cents on Amazon, and was like, why not? I have a dollar for free credit.
I regret my purchase...
First off, it's modernized. Why? I think it was quite iconic being in the 60s because at the point, being a trophy wife was a very typical thing, waiting for the money rather than making it your own. Like there was the same scene though about her "computer training", like there are no classes for that anymore. Like it's not in demand like it was in the 60s.
Like we didn't need the laptop aspect because it gave no actual improvements other than being modernized. They changed the ages, so do we assume they leave the attic in the same year since that's the age they escape in book? Idfk. And then the wine scene, like no. Pouring wine in wine glasses like youre adults, like no thank you. It was so cringy. Like why would she bring wine? I understand like a sparkling cider or something, but a WHOLE bottle of wine for 2 kids? Her two kids?
Second, why was Chris and Cathy so sexual from the beginning? Like hell no, it was so over sexualized and I'm like what actual brother and sister would do this, like stripping to their underwear (at age 15!) and dancing for their sibling? especially when being in that room for only--how long, months or so? (it never gave an actual time period of how long they stayed in the attic) Like it was quick and gross.
Third, everything was messed up. Grandmother would have never given the kids sweets. And everything just seemed way not true to the story with how quick it was told and what scenes they were taking out and replacing (like the tar scene, or the kiss between Bart and Cathy, or just about anything else, for trash.)
This play script is actual trash, and usually I'm fine with adaptions, I liked the movies, the books (not the diaries, but the originals), it would be cool to even see a tv show or something that went even further with the attic stories, like adding to the three years instead of doing all kind of jumps to different times of year. But this was horrible, and I know this is supposed to be adaptable for stage, but no real fan would find this good. Because it tears down all the good and adds filth.
April 4, 2022
Giving this one star because I cannot give it a half or a zero.
This is a bad adaptation of Flowers in the Attic and this is a bad play overall. I have yet to read any of Andrew Neiderman's work as V.C. Andrew's ghostwriter (or even his original work), but now I am hesitant to do so. He does not understand what makes the source material compelling. He doesn't fully understand Cathy as a protagonist or her relationships with Chris and Corrine. He doesn't understand the atmosphere of the novel.
He doesn't understand what makes an engaging play. Most of the play is monologue-ing done by an older version of Cathy. A lot of the iconic, horrific moments that make the novel exciting are cut from the play entirely. I originally thought this was done for time, but all of the time Cathy tells us things could have been used up actually showing the siblings interacting and the nightmares that unfold around them.
Overall incredibly disappointing and pretty embarrassing; was more than likely only done to make a quick buck.
This is a bad adaptation of Flowers in the Attic and this is a bad play overall. I have yet to read any of Andrew Neiderman's work as V.C. Andrew's ghostwriter (or even his original work), but now I am hesitant to do so. He does not understand what makes the source material compelling. He doesn't fully understand Cathy as a protagonist or her relationships with Chris and Corrine. He doesn't understand the atmosphere of the novel.
He doesn't understand what makes an engaging play. Most of the play is monologue-ing done by an older version of Cathy. A lot of the iconic, horrific moments that make the novel exciting are cut from the play entirely. I originally thought this was done for time, but all of the time Cathy tells us things could have been used up actually showing the siblings interacting and the nightmares that unfold around them.
Overall incredibly disappointing and pretty embarrassing; was more than likely only done to make a quick buck.
December 10, 2018
I read this in a hour and.. wow.
I have no words.
I'm very interested in reading the novel now, is it as good?
oh I hope.
I have no words.
I'm very interested in reading the novel now, is it as good?
oh I hope.
February 13, 2026
Maybe we shouldn’t let men adapt Flowers in the Attic, unless they’re a gay man… Like me.
November 30, 2018
This book had a very elaborate plot with many surprises. But it didn’t keep me intrigued. I felt like the book started to kick off really late in the story. This book follow the stories of four children who are locked in the attic of a mansion, so their grandfather won’t find out their alive. It shows how the kids adjust to seasonal changes in the attic, abuse and starvation from their grandmother, and illnesses. The tone of this book is very judgmental, as it was written in the tone of a teenaged girl who knows very little, and very proper, as she was raised with incredible manners. Overall I was very shocked with all that’s has occurred when reading this book and all the twist in turns it had instore.
December 16, 2019
I do know this is fiction, however, I did not care for the incestuous relations between sister and brother as teens. The grandmother and mother should never have kept them there locked up for so long. It was their fault! I did like the suspense, and I hoped that the children would be let out or found, and that is why I continued to finish the book, but I definitely could have went without the (under age at that also) incest. Could that had happened in real life; put in a situation for that to happen? I suppose. But the book could have left the incest out, and it would have been an even better book to read. I just don’t think it needed to have that in the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2016
Hmmmm.... I'm still trying to process what i just read!
It's not necessarily bad but it's not particularly very good either - I'm a die hard, 100% shameless fan of anything Virginia (VC) Andrews, the Dollanganger series is by far the best and my personal favourite, mainly because of the gothic tone and the over the top storylines, not to mention the fact that they're really the only ones actually written by her before Andrew Neiderman took over. Some people get really upset with Mr. Neiderman for using the Andrews name to sell books and changing the dynamic of storytelling however I've read all of the books by him under the Andrews banner, of which there are over 70, and I still really enjoy them for what they are and never really cared that he writes under the name of someone else but when he starts to touch the characters and stories that Virginia herself did write that's when it starts to get a little bit in bad taste. The story in this follows the plot of the book quite well however there are a lot of pivotal scenes cut out and the incest is virtually nonexistent, not the best idea considering that's one of the main things that makes the tale of the Dollanganger children story so risque and classic, it also seemed really rushed and short, I'd love to talk to someone who has actually seen the stage play and ask them what the run time was because to me it seemed as though it could all be over and done with within an hour and a half, very short or a 2 act play.
Another thing that I found strange was that it was set in the modern day, to me this seemed very pointless and unnecessary, the scene where the author is talking about Christopher and his laptop, why did that need to be in there? It's a story that could take place in any time period really but the time that the original book is set is best and out of respect I think he shouldn't have changed that.
I enjoyed it but it's hardly as good as any of the books Mr. Neiderman has written as Virginia Andrews, I would say it's a read for die hard fans (like me) only.
It's not necessarily bad but it's not particularly very good either - I'm a die hard, 100% shameless fan of anything Virginia (VC) Andrews, the Dollanganger series is by far the best and my personal favourite, mainly because of the gothic tone and the over the top storylines, not to mention the fact that they're really the only ones actually written by her before Andrew Neiderman took over. Some people get really upset with Mr. Neiderman for using the Andrews name to sell books and changing the dynamic of storytelling however I've read all of the books by him under the Andrews banner, of which there are over 70, and I still really enjoy them for what they are and never really cared that he writes under the name of someone else but when he starts to touch the characters and stories that Virginia herself did write that's when it starts to get a little bit in bad taste. The story in this follows the plot of the book quite well however there are a lot of pivotal scenes cut out and the incest is virtually nonexistent, not the best idea considering that's one of the main things that makes the tale of the Dollanganger children story so risque and classic, it also seemed really rushed and short, I'd love to talk to someone who has actually seen the stage play and ask them what the run time was because to me it seemed as though it could all be over and done with within an hour and a half, very short or a 2 act play.
Another thing that I found strange was that it was set in the modern day, to me this seemed very pointless and unnecessary, the scene where the author is talking about Christopher and his laptop, why did that need to be in there? It's a story that could take place in any time period really but the time that the original book is set is best and out of respect I think he shouldn't have changed that.
I enjoyed it but it's hardly as good as any of the books Mr. Neiderman has written as Virginia Andrews, I would say it's a read for die hard fans (like me) only.
December 5, 2014
one of the best, most loved series/authors of all time. V.C. Andrews books are something so easily recognizable and new books continue to evolve to go with the times and bring in a whole new generation of loving readers
November 29, 2014
v.c. andrews books are all absolutely amazing and very easily distinguishable from any other authors. i love the darkeness, secrets, lies, very addicting, i have almost every single book!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews