  Recent experiments on Bose--Einstein condensates in optical cavities have
reported a quantum phase transition to a coherent state of the matter-light
system -- superradiance. The time dependent nature of these experiments demands
consideration of collective dynamics. Here we establish a rich phase diagram,
accessible by quench experiments, with distinct regimes of dynamics separated
by non-equilibrium phase transitions. We include the key effects of cavity
leakage and the back-reaction of the cavity field on the condensate. Proximity
to some of these phase boundaries results in critical slowing down of the decay
of many-body oscillations. Notably, this slow decay can be assisted by large
cavity losses. Predictions include the frequency of collective oscillations, a
variety of multi-phase co-existence regions, and persistent optomechanical
oscillations described by a damped driven pendulum. These findings open new
directions to study collective dynamics and non-equilibrium phase transitions
in matter-light systems.
