Diary of a Mad Black Woman

Tyler Perry's Diary of a Mad Black Woman is an 2001 American stage play written, directed and produced by Tyler Perry. The production starred Tyler Perry as Daddy Charles & Madea and Marva King as Helen Simmons-McCarter. The live performance released on DVD and VHS was recorded live in Atlanta at the Atlanta Civic Center in May 2001. Synopsis Helen McCarter (King) is a loving wife to her successful millionaire husband and attorney, Charles McCarter (Blake). For twenty years, they have lived in a mansion on the inner part of the city. It appears that Helen is living the perfect life, but things are not as they seem, seeing as how Helen and Charles' marriage seems to be slowly falling apart. Charles' father, an elderly mail clerk by the name of Daddy Charles (Perry), talks to Helen, realizing that she is not as happy as she seems. He knows that Helen loves Charles, exclaiming to his son later in the play, "I dunno why she loves you, but she loves you to death." Helen also confides in her friend, Brenda (Robinson), an attorney who also works at Charles' firm, and her mother, Myrtle (Mann), who also thinks that Helen's marriage is still going well. Helen also reveals that Charles has also been abusing her physically after trying to cover up a bruise she received with a story claiming to have " hit herself in the eye with a cabinet door." As their anniversary approaches, the McCarters continue to argue more and more. Finally, on the night of the anniversary, Charles admits to Helen that he has not been happy for quite sometime, and also tells her that he wants a divorce, revealing that he has been having an affair with another woman, who is Helen's friend Brenda. After humiliating Helen, Charles leaves her, telling her she can have the house and $2,000 a month. The next day, Madea comes to visit Helen, trying to encourage her. However, when Brenda comes over, things start to escalate. When Brenda taunts Helen about the break-up, Helen grabs a gun in an attempt to "accidentally" kill Brenda. Myrtle arrives just in time to tell her daughter about Charles' car accident and keep her from killing Brenda. As Helen snatches the wig from the horrified Brenda, Madea attempts to shoot the mistress. Following this incident, Helen and Myrtle have a heated argument about the situation, leading Myrtle to almost wash her hands of her daughter.