The fact that Sonja Linden uses her personal contact with asylum seekers for her latest play lends veracity and human interest to what might otherwise have seemed like a bitter polemic. The real stories of five refugees seeking asylum status in Britain are drawn together into a fictionalised setting, at the centre of which is British asylum lawyer Harriet. At times, the play makes for uncomfortable viewing, as the five refugees recount the horrors they have escaped from and the difficulties they have faced since arriving in Britain. But, unexpectedly, there is humour here, too. I particularly enjoyed the exchange between Congo refugee Destin and Sudanese torture victim Zakariyah, in which Destin tries to explain the strange British custom of keeping animals in zoos. "You mean they put cows and sheep and dogs in zoos?" Zakariyah asks incredulously.

But the overriding message is the frustration and anger of the refugees, as Linden invites us to examine our own consciences. Is this really the way we want our country to treat such people? she asks. Haven't they suffered enough?

There is no doubting Linden's sincerity, nor the value of what she has to say. But the impact is lessened by weaknesses in both plot and structure. The numerous short scenes make the play seem disjointed, chaotic and rather contrived, and there is insufficient scope for most of her characters to achieve any real depth.

Ironically, the most believable character is the fictitious Harriet, whose compassionate manner is captured to perfection by Emily Morgan. Mark Powley is convincing, too, as her long-suffering husband, who struggles to balance his sympathy for the refugees with his desperation to spend time with his increasingly obsessed wife. Among the refugee characters, Faz Singhateh stands out as Zakariyah, whose broad grin alone should be enough to win over the most hardened sceptic.

To find out more about the refugees whose stories inspired the play, visit www.iceandfire.co.uk