Phillip R. Ford, best known as the director of the cult classic “Vegas in Space” (1991), was the only plainclothes member of the 1980s drag ensemble Sluts A-Go-Go, which featured the talents of Doris Fish, Miss X and “Tippi.” Anyone lucky enough to have seen them in their glory — before AIDS robbed us of both Fish and “Tippi” in 1991 — cherishes the memory of their spirit and humor.
In the program “High Spots in a Low Dive: Doris Fish Home Movies,” Ford, who documented it all on video, shares home movies of their legendary shows, as well as behind-the-scenes footage from “Vegas in Space” and other performances. Ford, an integral part of Sluts A-Go-Go’s comedy, has stories to tell and, as an excellent raconteur and performer, he is quite able to tell them.
What will emerge is a fuller picture of a glorious and rather unsung period of San Francisco culture, and of talented performers who overcame their own suffering to lift the spirits of a tormented community.