Her wealthy, famous and very drunk brother Gaston is a bit harder to handle, though not for lack of trying on her part. He holds court at the country club, making snide Truman Capote-esque remarks about everything and — to Jerene’s dismay — everyone. The club members, who vary from equally wealthy to equally drunk, find his slightly scandalous proclamations titillating. Jerene, however, is not amused. Gaston’s a best-selling author who writes tired and trite historical novels set in the Deep South during the Civil War. (He’s careful not to make them too realistic; it seems his white readers love to read about the miseries of life as a slave, but only if there’s a kindhearted owner in the -picture.) In Barnhardt’s hands, Jerene’s escapades are hysterically funny. And uncomfortably familiar.
7 p.m. Brazos Bookstore, 2421 Bissonnet. For information, call 713‑523‑0701 or visit brazosbookstore.com. Free.
Tue., July 15, 7 p.m., 2014
