“Retrospective”, the latest work of T.J. Elliott, is an existential comedy inspired by the works of British philosopher Iris Murdoch and American painter Mark Rothko. The play follows a celebrated artist who awakens in a Surreal Gallery of Empty Canvasses and must now confront both the unfinished canvas of his life, and the haunting question of what remains when the art disappears. Oh, and do all that with the help of his dead ex-wife. “Retrospective” makes its UK premiere after the critically acclaimed run at the Broadway Bound Theatre Festival in New York in 2025.
Review by Claire-Monique Martin.
At Barons Court Theatre, T.J Elliot’s Retrospective unfolds as a limbo-like meditation on art, ego, regret, and what remains unresolved after death. Set within a waiting room of the afterlife, the play follows recently deceased painter Rory McGrory as he finds himself trapped between worlds alongside his ex-wife Pippa, a lifelong critic, and fellow artist Z — all forced to confront not only Rory’s legacy, but their own unfinished emotional business with him.
What immediately stands out is the production’s visual confidence. The set design is genuinely striking, making exceptional use of the theatre’s intimate three-sided staging. Canvases scattered across the space create the feeling of an abandoned gallery suspended outside time, with the audience positioned almost like witnesses within the afterlife itself. The design never feels cluttered; instead, it becomes an extension of Rory’s fractured mind and artistic identity.
The conceptual framework works remarkably well. Questions posed about the mechanics of the afterlife are answered by a cold robotic voice, while the ensemble responds through involuntary movement that suggests they are no longer fully in control of their bodies. These moments are some of the production’s strongest and funniest moments, creating a haunting physical language that pushes the play beyond straightforward realism into something stranger and more unsettling. The movement work is subtle but highly effective, capturing the frustration of souls desperate to move on but unable to do so.
The ensemble itself is excellent throughout. Noah Huntley gives Rory a compelling mixture of arrogance, vulnerability, and confusion, grounding the play’s more abstract elements in recognisable emotional truth. Jasmine Dorothy Haefner delivers the standout performance of the evening as Z, her performance consistently energises the stage and sharpens the emotional stakes of the piece.
Sarah Pearcey also shines as Pippa, particularly during their poetic monologues, which bring some of the production’s most reflective and lyrical moments. However, these scenes also highlight one of the few frustrations within the staging. With the theatre configured on three sides, the decision to keep many of these recitals front-facing feels like a missed opportunity. Rotating the focus of each poem toward different sections of the audience could have created a more immersive and visually dynamic experience for the entire room.
Meanwhile, Benjamin Parsons proves perfectly suited to the play’s offbeat tone. His comic timing consistently punctures the heavier existential discussions at exactly the right moments, helping maintain the delicate balance between absurdity and sincerity that the script relies upon. His presence becomes increasingly valuable as the play progresses.
If there is a weakness, it lies in the pacing. At one hour and forty-five minutes without an interval, Retrospective occasionally overstays its welcome. The cyclical nature of the waiting-room premise naturally invites repetition, but several exchanges linger beyond their emotional peak. There is a sharper, more urgent version of this play within the material, and trimming even fifteen minutes could significantly strengthen the momentum and emotional impact. While the repetition clearly reflects the stagnation of purgatory itself, the audience occasionally begins to feel trapped in that same cycle.
Still, the production’s ambition, intelligence, and atmosphere carry it through. Elliot’s writing asks thoughtful questions about artistic legacy, criticism, love, and whether people are ever truly understood in life — or death. Importantly, the play resists offering easy answers. Instead, it allows its characters to sit within uncertainty, frustration, and longing, which feels entirely appropriate for a story set in the liminal space between existence and whatever comes next.
Retrospective is a deeply thoughtful and visually compelling piece of new writing that succeeds through the strength of its ensemble and the clarity of its concept. Though it would benefit from tighter editing, it remains an affecting and memorable theatrical experience — one that deserves another life, so to speak.
Cast
Noah Huntley as RORY MCGRORY
Sarah Pearcey as PIPPA LEFEBVRE
Jasmine Dorothy Haefner as Z
Benjamin Parsons as CLINT BELINSKY
Creative Team
Liviu Monsted – Director
T.J Elliot Bio – Writer
Producers – Knowledge Workings Theatre and Mon Sans Productions